Contreras suspended two games, Lackey fined after Friday blowup
On the way out to his position Saturday, Cubs catcher Willson Contreras sought out umpire Jordan Baker, who would be working third base.
Contreras tapped his chest protector as if to say "my bad" for Friday, and then he shook the hand of Baker.
Contreras was suspended for two games by Major League Baseball for slamming his mask to the ground Friday and having it bounce up and hit Baker, the plate umpire in the Cubs' 8-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
Both Contreras and Cubs pitcher John Lackey were ejected for arguing a called ball. Lackey was fined but not suspended. Contreras is appealing his suspension, and it's likely it will be reduced, by at least one game.
"Like I said (Friday), I did something wrong, and that wasn't me," he said. "That was the adrenaline from the game. I needed to apologize to that guy because nobody's perfect, and we all make mistakes. That was part of my job today, to apologize to everybody and move on.
"If I am going to get a suspension, I will take it like a man because I did something wrong. I feel better right now because I apologized to the umpires, and they were good with me."
Manager Joe Maddon said Contreras' enthusiasm is a double-edged sword.
"He's a wonderful young man," Maddon said. "He is emotional. We're all working on attempting to help him curb that a bit, but you don't want to take it all the way, either. That's a big part of why he's so good. That was a little bit difficult yesterday. I understand that. He does play with his hair on fire."
Lackey became incensed after a 2-2 pitch to Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez was called a ball, even though it looked like a strike. Martinez singled on the next pitch for a two-out RBI and a 2-1 Cardinals lead.
As Lackey ran toward home to back up the plate, he began yelling at Baker and was ejected. Contreras then was ejected, and he slammed his mask down.
Maddon was asked if it was possible to get Lackey to curb his reactions.
"It's impossible," he said. "I'm being honest. Willson's in his early 20s. John is almost 40. He's a dad with kids. I would never tell him what to do."
As for Contreras, he said he isn't changing.
"No, I won't tone it down," he said. "That's my way to be. That's how I play."
What a return:
The Cubs activated shortstop Addison Russell off the disabled list Saturday. Russell had been on the DL since Aug. 3 with a right-foot strain and plantar fasciitis.
All he did was hit a pinch home run in the eighth inning of the Cubs' 4-1 victory over the Cardinals. Russell took a curtain call.
"That was a pretty special moment in my life," he said. "Walking up to the plate, I couldn't help but smile inside."
Joe Maddon would like to ease Russell back into action. Javier Baez has excelled at shortstop in Russell's absence. Maddon added he is not inclined to move Russell to second base and keep Baez at short.
"If you look at what Addy did last year, that was pretty darn good," Maddon said. "He made the all-star team, 20-some homers and almost 100 RBIs, one of the better defenders at run prevention in all of baseball last year. Javy's done great. In my mind's eye, when Addy's there and Javy's at second, it's really difficult to beat."
This and that:
Jake Arrieta threw 42 pitches in a bullpen session. He's on the mend from a right-hamstring strain, suffered on Labor Day. The Cubs will evaluate him Sunday … Wade Davis is 30-for-30 in save chances after Saturday. He is the 11th pitcher in major-league history to convert his first 30 save chances in a single season.