Chicago Cubs' Heyward not ready to return
WASHINGTON - Jason Heyward showed off his left hand to reporters Monday, and it's still looking a little raw.
The Chicago Cubs right fielder took some swings off a tee as he tries to heal an abrasion suffered at Pittsburgh in the middle of June. Heyward is eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list Thursday, but that does not look likely.
"(It's) not to the point where I can do everything swinging," he said. "I can't take full batting practice. It's getting better every day, of course. Until it gets to the point where I can swing every day and take BP, I've just got to deal with it healing.
"I've been doing some bottom-hand stuff, some one-hand stuff. I tried a couple days of dry swings. Today was the first time trying off the tee, 15 swings most. We just needed to see where it was for one and then kind of get used to doing stuff again, know there was going to be some discomfort. I'm not comfortable enough to go forward with full BP."
It's possible Heyward will have to go on a short minor-league rehab stint once the hand is healed.
"That's always the conversation we have," he said. "When it happens, when it's time to do it, they'll let me know what they think. I'll let them know what I think."
Taking it easy on Russell:
Shortstop Addison Russell was not in Monday night's lineup after he suffered discomfort in his right shoulder during Sunday's series finale at Miami.
"It's not serious, but I don't want to push it," manager Joe Maddon said. "PJ (athletic trainer Mainville) feels good about it. We've got to get him on a steady diet of rehab, a maintenance program. As we do that, he should have no more issues.
"The last thing I want to be is the manager who puts him out too soon and gets him hurt."
A possible go for Zo:
Infielder-outfielder Ben Zobrist tested his sore left wrist Monday in Chicago and likely will do so again Tuesday. A minor-league rehab assignment is likely to follow for Zobrist, who went on the DL effective June 13.
Left-handed pitcher Brett Anderson threw 51 pitches Sunday in his first rehab start for Class AA Tennessee. He worked 4 innings, giving up 5 hits and 1 run. He has been on the DL effective May 7 with a low-back strain.
A visit with the new guy?
The Cubs made their official world-championship visit to the White House in January, when Barack Obama was still president. It's possible Joe Maddon and a couple of the players may make a less formal visit to the Trump White House sometime this week.
A new beginning:
Outfielder Kyle Schwarber was in the starting lineup Monday for Class AAA Iowa after he was optioned late last week.
Schwarber began the year as the leadoff hitter, but he got off to a slow start. Anthony Rizzo has taken up most of the slack, but Willson Contreras led off with a homer Monday.
Asked what he'd like to see long term, Joe Maddon said: "Ideally Schwarber. To me, he's still the right guy for the job. But for right now, you'll see Anthony back there (Tuesday). Today, Contreras made the most sense."