Chicago Cubs' Bryant out with sore shoulder, could miss Wednesday's game
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant's ailing left shoulder kept him out of Tuesday night's lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and it may keep him out Wednesday afternoon, as well.
Bryant was on the disabled list from June 23-July 10 with inflammation in the shoulder. He went 0-for-4 in Monday night's series opener against Diamondbacks.
"He's a little bit sore, and I have to be proactive with that and make sure that we're not pushing it too hard right now," said manager Joe Maddon. "I just had a nice conversation with him. It's sore. Felt it on the swing a little bit yesterday and played through it. Didn't feel great afterward. Not feeling that great yet today, so let's not mess with this right now."
Maddon said he was not sure if Bryant's shoulder will need further medical attention in the off-season.
"Obviously rest would be the best thing for it right now but we're not necessarily ready to do that," he said. "I don't know what the actual postseason method would be if we're even getting close to that. For right now, it's just trying to manage it and get him through the season and hopefully participate. I don't know what the off-season will hold."
Bullpen session for Darvish:
Pitcher Yu Darvish played catch and threw 16 pitches off the bullpen mound Tuesday, according to Joe Maddon.
Darvish has not pitched since May 20 because of right-triceps tendinitis. The Cubs will evaluate Darvish Wednesday and map out a plan from there. He likely will need an extended bullpen session followed by a simulated game and a minor-league rehab stint.
It's just a game:
Joe Maddon had a ready answer for anyone who thought using first baseman Anthony Rizzo to pitch in the ninth inning Monday was somehow making a mockery of the game. Rizzo threw two pitches, retiring A.J. Pollock on a flyout.
"For those who may have said that, let me just inform you about this: People that want to say that do not understand the interconnectedness of the day," he said. "Tuesday could absolutely be won or lost based on Monday. If I use one of our better guys (Monday) in a game that was not really going anywhere … and we get to a crucial moment today and neither (Steve) Cishek nor (Pedro) Strop nor (Carl) Edwards is available today because of that, that's the wrong thing to do.
"Relax, folks, it's a baseball game. It is not life and death. I want people to understand that. Yesterday was a typical perfect example of it is a game."
Butler is back:
The Cubs welcomed right-handed pitcher Eddie Butler back to the team Tuesday, activating him off the 60-day disabled list while optioning right-hander Luke Farrell to Class AAA Iowa.
Butler had been out since April 20 with a right-groin strain.
Butler worked in 6 games before going on the DL. He pitched 7 innings of relief in the second game of the season at Miami, a 2-1, 17-inning loss to the Marlins. In all, he was 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA.
He made 5 rehab starts for Iowa, going 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA.
Farrell has gone 3-4 with a 5.17 ERA in 20 outings, including 2 starts, with the Cubs this season. With Iowa, he has gone 0-2 with a 4.39 ERA.