Cubs slugger Tucker leaves games due to left calf tightness

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Tucker exited in seventh inning of Chicago's win over Atlanta on Tuesday due to left calf tightness, but the Cubs slugger doesn't expect to be sidelined long.

Tucker hit a three-run homer, his 22nd, in the third inning and singled in three at-bats before being replaced by Willi Castro in right field and Chicago clinging to a one-run lead.

Following the 4-3 victory — the Cubs' fourth in five games — Tucker said he was dealing with the tightness the past couple of days. He had treatment before Tuesday's contest and said “it felt all right.”

“Then just as the game went, it just got a little more sore or tight,” he said. “And eventually it was just like it's, man, rather not try and test this much further and make it any more than it really is.

“We'll see how it is tomorrow and just kind of go from there.”

Tucker is batting .400 (16 for 40) in his last 11 games with four homers and 11 RBIs. The hot streak comes after a slump through the first half of August when Tucker batted .138 with no homers and one RBI in 16 games.

Manager Craig Counsell said the injury wasn't related to any specific incident.

Counsell planned to give Tucker the day off Wednesday, the series finale with Atlanta.

If all goes well, Tucker could return on Friday when Cubs host Washington in the opener of a three-game set.

“We'll be cautious, absolutely, here,” Counsell said. “But we've just go to see how it feels Friday and we'll go from there.”

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