Why Cubs' Bryant may get called up soon
A side injury to Cubs infielder Tommy La Stella could hasten a call-up of top prospect Kris Bryant.
"Maybe," team president Theo Epstein said before Monday night's game against the Reds. "We'll see. We'll weigh all the factors. I said during spring training that his performance obviously last year and even during spring training showed that he's really close, and that we're probably more likely to get him sooner rather than later.
"They (Class AAA Iowa) just started, though. We're trying to get him into a good rhythm down there. But we'll see. Obviously his development is a hugely important factor and the needs of the big-league team as well."
Bryant, the Cubs' top draft pick in 2013, tore it up in spring training with 9 home runs, but the Cubs elected to have last season's Minor League Player of the Year open at Iowa. The earliest the Cubs could bring Bryant up and avoid having him get a full year of major-league service time is Friday's series opener against the Padres at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs' 40-man roster is at 39, and Bryant is not yet on the 40-man.
Manny being Manny:
Hitting consultant Manny Ramirez was on hand Monday at Wrigley Field. Ramirez, who was a player-coach last year at Iowa, will work with hitters at the major- and minor-league levels. One of Ramirez's projects is infielder Javier Baez, who is on leave from Iowa after the death of his sister last week.
"Everybody's talking to him," Ramirez said. "He's an unbelievable kid. He can play. He can run. And his hitting is a going to come along. I really haven't seen anybody with that kind of bat speed."
The former big-league slugger said he likes what he sees of the Cubs.
"I think this is the year," he said. "I think the Cubs are going to do very well."
The Cubs brought Ramirez in last year because they like his approach to hitting and so that he could work with younger hitters.
"Manny's good with approach," said manager Joe Maddon. "Manny's a good approach kind of a teacher. He's also good mechanically. But I think Manny, when it comes to how to attack a pitcher situationally, he's really good at that. He was really good at that."
Pitching updates:
Relief pitcher Justin Grimm is in Arizona, and the Cubs will take a few days before they see if they can "ramp him up." Grimm went on the disabled list last week with right-forearm inflammation.
Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada (groin strain) threw Sunday in Arizona, and it's likely he'll go to one of the minor-league affiliates soon to begin a rehab assignment.
The Cubs also say pitcher Dallas Beeler (shoulder inflammation) is close to being ready to pitch.
Left-handed reliever James Russell, who began his career with the Cubs, was set to join Iowa Monday night after signing a minor-league deal last week. Russell was released by the Braves at the end of spring training.