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Kyle Schwarber sore after Home Run Derby, but not about the outcome

Kyle Schwarber returned to Wrigley Field Thursday sore in body but happy in spirit.

Schwarber took part in an exciting Home Run Derby Monday in Washington as part of the All-Star Game festivities.

He fell 19-18 to hometown hero Bryce Harper in the final round but he hit 55 total homers, the most by any player this year and the second most in Derby history behind Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 61 in 2016.

One thing Schwarber wanted to make clear is that he felt there was no funny business with the Nationals' Harper hitting a flurry of homers to win the competition. Many on social media felt Harper's pitcher, his father, wasn't waiting until the previous ball landed to throw his subsequent pitch.

“It wasn't rigged,” Schwarber said. “For Bryce to do what he did there — unbelievable. I think he racked up 9 out of 10 at the end. That was pretty special. He had the whole crowd at his back. That's an extra motivator right there. For him to do what he did, it was awesome. It was just an experience for me. As soon as I was done with that last round, I told myself, ‘He's probably got me.' I was just enjoying the moment.”

Schwarber added his body was sore from taking a lot of swings in a short amount time.

“Your arms are definitely sore,” he said. “Your sides get a little bit sore. Your back gets a little bit sore. About everything.”

Nevertheless, Schwarber was in Thursday night's staring lineup against the Cardinals.

“I don't know how much wood-chopping he does in the wintertime, him and Babe the Ox, how much they get around in the Dakotas, or Minnesota,” said manager Joe Maddon. “He didn't text me or anything and say, ‘I was too sore to play.' He sees all these right-handers (opposing pitchers) coming up. We just got off the West Coast, all the lefties. He's sitting on the bench, he hates me. Now all of a sudden he gets all the righties so there's no way he's not playing.”

Morrow to disabled list:

The Cubs made a flurry of roster moves Thursday, the most notable of which was placing closer Brandon Morrow on the 10-day disabled list with right-biceps inflammation.

“Been bothering him a bit but we thought it was manageable,” said Joe Maddon. “But now it's not. We have to take a little bit of a break. We don't anticipate him being gone for a long time but it seems to be prudent to go this course right now.”

Right-hander James Norwood, who had been optioned to Class AAA Iowa, takes Morrow's spot on the roster. Morrow was on the DL last month with a back ailment.

The Cubs also activated reliever Anthony Bass from the DL, center fielder Albert Almora Jr. from the family medical emergency leave list and reliever Carl Edwards Jr. from the paternity list. They optioned infielder David Bote and reliever Rob Zastryzny to Iowa.

Joe Maddon said it is “hard to preordain” a closer in Morrow's place, but Steve Cishek and Pedro Strop will get looks depending on the situation.

Maddon also did not have an update on injured starting pitcher Yu Darvish, who has not pitched since May 20 because of right-triceps inflammation. Darvish appears to be several weeks away from coming of off the DL.

Top pick out of action:

Shortstop Nico Hoerner, the Cubs' first-round draft choice this year, was at Wrigley Field Thursday. Hoerner had his left elbow examined after hurting it this week while diving for a ball in a game for Class A South Bend.

Hoerner is done playing for the regular season. He will head out to Arizona to begin rehabbing the non-throwing elbow. He said he hopes to resume playing in the fall.

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