Cubs To Activate Kyle Tucker

"After spending more than three weeks on the injured list due to a calf strain, Kyle Tucker is back for the final regular season series of the year. The Cubs outfielder himself tells ESPN's Jesse Rogers that he's in the lineup today - his first game since Sept. 2. The team hasn't formally announced the move or a corresponding transaction yet."

"The Cubs have already clinched a postseason berth, but these final three games will give Tucker a tune-up for their return to October baseball. The impending free agent has had a terrific season overall but will end up playing in, at most, 136 of the team's 162 games due primarily to this calf strain. He's hitting .270/.381/.472 (139 wRC+) with 22 home runs, 25 doubles, four triples, 25 steals and a matching 14.7% walk rate and 14.7% strikeout rate."

"Tucker's offensive numbers would likely be even more impressive had he not suffered a hairline fracture in his hand back in June. He gutted it out and played through the injury, which only came to light nearly three months later, after it had healed. Tucker hit well in June but saw his numbers drop precipitously in July. There's no definitive way to know how much the small fracture impacted him, but he surely wasn't playing at 100% throughout the entirety of the summer."

Kyle Tucker is back in the lineup for the Cubs' final regular-season series after more than three weeks on the injured list with a calf strain. The Cubs have clinched a postseason berth, and these three games will serve as a tune-up before October. Tucker will play in at most 136 games due primarily to the calf strain. He is hitting .270/.381/.472 (139 wRC+) with 22 home runs, 25 doubles, four triples, 25 steals, and matching 14.7% walk and strikeout rates. He played through a June hairline hand fracture that likely affected his midseason performance.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors