{"id":93664,"date":"2025-09-16T07:51:55","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T07:51:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=93664"},"modified":"2025-09-16T07:52:23","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T07:52:23","slug":"chicago-cubs-injury-updates-including-not-much-progress-frankly-with-kyle-tuckers-calf-strain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=93664","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Cubs injury updates, including \u2018not much progress, frankly\u2019 with Kyle Tucker\u2019s calf strain"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

PITTSBURGH \u2014 The Chicago Cubs hoped a brief stint on the injured list would provide Kyle Tucker the necessary rest for his calf strain to fully heal with enough time to be ready for the postseason.<\/p>\n

Tucker\u2019s time frame to return, however, is murky. Although he\u2019s eligible to come off the 10-day IL on Tuesday, the Cubs right fielder is not progressing. He ran before Monday\u2019s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, but manager Craig Counsell said afterward there was \u201cnot much progress, frankly\u201d with Tucker\u2019s calf.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see if we can move forward,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cIf not, we\u2019ll just be kind of status quo until we can have some improvement on the symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tucker, 28, hasn\u2019t played since Sept. 2, when he exited after the sixth inning because of tightness in his calf that he initially felt the previous few days but had worsened.<\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t a certain number of at-bats he believes he would need to feel ready for the postseason. The calendar will start to work against him at some point, though, with 12 regular-season games remaining after Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not really where I want it to be, which isn\u2019t ideal,\u201d Tucker said Monday. \u201cBut I\u2019m just trying to get back to feeling at least as close to game-ready as possible to get out there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, really, all I want to do is just play baseball. So whatever I can do to try and get back to that, I\u2019m trying to do, but it hasn\u2019t gone as quickly as I would have hoped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael Soroka returns<\/h4>\n

Limited to two innings in his Cubs debut Aug. 4, Soroka returned from his right shoulder strain Monday when the team activated him before the series opener against the Pirates.<\/p>\n

Right-hander Ben Brown was optioned to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Soroka, 28, joins the bullpen and can give the Cubs multiple innings. He was encouraged by the return of his velocity during the rehab process after experiencing a downtick in the lead-up to the injury.<\/p>\n

\"Chicago
Cubs starter Michael Soroka pitches during the first inning against the Reds on Aug. 4, 2025, at Wrigley Field. (AP Photo\/Paul Beaty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to get back out and show people what the (organization) traded for,\u201d said Soroka, whom the Cubs acquired at the deadline from the Washington Nationals. \u201cI got to get to know a lot of these guys, and it\u2019s going to be a lot of fun being able to go compete with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nice to feel like myself again, or at least kind of what I was the first half of the season. There\u2019s a lot of things that I worked on personally this offseason to get to that point. Went backward a little bit for a while, but nice to know that there was a reason for that. We corrected that and we\u2019re back, so I\u2019m excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soroka thrived in a relief role last year with the White Sox, putting up a 2.75 ERA and .189 average against while striking out 60 in 36 innings spanning 16 appearances. He expects that experience to ease the transition from starting; all 17 of his appearances with the Nationals and Cubs this year came in the rotation.<\/p>\n

Counsell doesn\u2019t plan to prioritize using Soroka in high-leverage spots to see how he handles them ahead of the postseason, but he acknowledged there could be games, based on other relievers\u2019 usage, in which he calls on Soroka in those situations.<\/p>\n

Other injury updates<\/h4>\n
\"Chicago
Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya leaves the game with a left leg injury during the eighth inning against the Blue Jays on Aug. 13, 2025, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette\/The Canadian Press via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is a pivotal week for catcher Miguel Amaya\u2019s potential return to the majors this year.<\/p>\n

Amaya\u2019s left ankle sprain is not fully healed, but Counsell said Amaya will begin a rehab assignment at Iowa on Tuesday and will be in the lineup as the designated hitter with the hope he is able to catch later in the week.<\/p>\n

Running is the main hurdle that remains. Looking at the big picture as the postseason looms, Counsell touted the importance of Amaya getting in games with Iowa, whose season ends Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe felt like we\u2019ve got to get you some game at-bats (and) game reps if the postseason roster is a possibility,\u201d Counsell explained. \u201cOtherwise we\u2019re talking about just not enough at-bats and not enough game action to consider you.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo the understanding that he\u2019s probably not at 100% but that he hopefully could get there. There\u2019s still a little over two weeks to go. We\u2019ll see how that goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closer Daniel Palencia (right shoulder strain) had a touch-and-feel off a bullpen mound Monday and is scheduled to throw a full bullpen session Wednesday at PNC Park. If that goes well, he would begin a rehab assignment at Iowa on Saturday. At this point, it has been a best-case scenario for Palencia and the Cubs.<\/p>\n

Veteran reliever Ryan Brasier (left groin strain) will resume his rehab assignment and pitch for Iowa on Tuesday. After two rough rehab outings, Brasier rejoined the Cubs to work with pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and assistant pitching coach Casey Jacobson on his mechanics.<\/p>\n

Seiya Suzuki was not in the lineup Monday for a fourth consecutive game because of an illness that Counsell said doctors described as a version of bronchitis.<\/p>\n

Suzuki was in pretty bad shape Sunday, Counsell added, and joined the team late Sunday for the flight to Pittsburgh. He was at the ballpark Monday and got out on the field. Counsell didn\u2019t offer any insight into when Suzuki might be back in the lineup.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got to get his strength and energy back,\u201d Counsell said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kyle Tucker\u2019s time frame to return to the Chicago Cubs is murky. Although he\u2019s eligible to come off the 10-day IL on Tuesday, the right fielder is not progressing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":93665,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[282,823,3684,1985,317,1964,1848,592],"class_list":["post-93664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-craig-counsell","tag-cubs-injuries","tag-daniel-palencia","tag-kyle-tucker","tag-michael-soroka","tag-miguel-amaya","tag-seiya-suzuki"],"yoast_head":"\nChicago Cubs injury updates, including \u2018not much progress, frankly\u2019 with Kyle Tucker\u2019s calf strain - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=93664\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chicago Cubs injury updates, including \u2018not much progress, frankly\u2019 with Kyle Tucker\u2019s calf strain - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Kyle Tucker\u2019s time frame to return to the Chicago Cubs is murky. 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