Chicago Cubs' Baez gets day off at good time

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon was going to give infielder Javier Baez the day off Wednesday anyway, but the rest came at a good time after Baez struck out five times against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.

Baez wasn't alone. The Cubs struck out 17 times as a team in their 7-2 victory.

"He was just swinging a little bit too hard," Maddon said. "But I had that made up before that game. I try to do the next day's lineup before. I already had it set up differently anyhow. He probably needs a day. He's been playing a lot. A lot of day games are involved. Most of the time when a guy comes out of his zone a lot, it's because he's a little bit mentally fatigued.

"Let's get him off his feet. If we need him tonight, we'll utilize him. He's fine. Listen, he's done that a lot in his career. He knows how to bounce back. It's not going to impact him. I watched him run out to defense after the strikeouts, and he's ready to play.

"I love that about him. A lot of guys have had that moment historically, but the difference with Javy, two things: He'll play his defense, and he'll bounce back."

No dugout dust-up here:

First baseman Anthony Rizzo wasn't pleased to read in one newspaper about an "animated discussion" between him and pitcher John Lackey in the dugout during Tuesday's game at Wrigley Field.

Rizzo said Wednesday there was no problem between the two players. Lackey might have been frustrated after he gave up a 2-run double to White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon one out after a hit-and-run single got through the infield in the second inning.

"I think it's just a lot of uneducated speculation, to be honest," Rizzo said.

He jokingly likened it to a dugout dust-up several years ago between pitcher Carlos Zambrano and first baseman Derrek Lee during a Cubs-Sox game.

"As far as I know. I was just talking, telling him to make sure he knows we're going to get him some more runs, not to worry about it," he said. "That's really it. I think it's pretty funny that I have to talk about this the next day, actually. I actually patted him on the butt afterward, almost kind of like Zambrano and Derrek Lee."

In the end, Rizzo termed it "a good storyline."

Joe Maddon said it was much ado about nothing.

"It's really kind of funny because there's really nothing to it," Maddon said. "I don't know exactly who glommed on to it or gleaned it or attached themselves to this spot. It couldn't have been one of you guys. You can't even see it from up in the press box. Television, OK. Really innocuous.

"I asked a little bit about it today. But, believe me, there's two things: First of all, there's really nothing to report. And second of all, if there is a little bit of that, there's nothing wrong with it, nothing wrong with guys calling B.S. on somebody else in a moment. But that's not what happened yesterday."

For his part, Lackey said it was "none of your business" to reporters.

Cubs designate Anderson:

The Cubs on Wednesday designated left-handed pitcher Brett Anderson for assignment. Anderson had been on the disabled list since May 7 with a lower-back strain.

Anderson, signed as a free agent in the off-season, made 6 starts for the Cubs, going 2-2 with an 8.18 ERA.