Cubs activate Kyle Tucker, will primarily DH ahead of Wild Card

Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker, sidelined since Sept. 2 with a left calf strain, has rejoined the team and been activated from the injured list, the club said Friday, giving Chicago a critical boost ahead of next week's Wild Card series. Tucker is in the lineup Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals and is expected to serve primarily as a designated hitter as the Cubs complete the regular season and prepare for postseason play.

Tucker left the team in Pittsburgh last week to pursue additional treatment near his Florida home and worked with a physical therapy group that has overseen past recoveries, the outfielder said. He returned to Chicago earlier in the week and resumed base-running and agility work before the club announced his activation. Tucker said he feels "a little bit better" but acknowledged there are "probably a few more boxes" to check before he is fully comfortable returning to full action.

Manager Craig Counsell described the progress as positive but cautious. Counsell said the club will treat Tucker's comeback on a day-to-day basis, limit his exertion in nonessential situations and likely keep his running at about 80 to 90 percent initially. "We're gonna...