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ST. LOUIS – Kris Bryant was indeed available on the Cubs bench Thursday night, coming out of the bowels of Busch Stadium for the first time since Tuesday to nip a hit in the eighth inning against the Cardinals.
“I’m not lying this time,” Cubs manager David Ross said with a laugh before the game.
Whether it was mere coincidence that this rare sighting of Bryant came less than three hours after the Rays spent two well-regarded Triple-A pitching hopes to acquire all-star hitter Nelson Cruz from the Twins, Bryant has been brought back to his. canoe bubble wrap immediately after drawing a promenade.
A potential suitor has already landed his trade deadline bat from another seller. The Cubs were in no danger of leaving Bryant on the bases, with only a week before next Friday’s deadline.
Not with that “hamstring fatigue” or “heavy legs” or what they call his mysterious illness by tomorrow.
Ross said he expects Bryant to return to the roster on Friday when the Cubs open a seven-game homestand at 1:20 p.m. against the Diamondbacks.
Will he do enough to get the Mets to get aggressive for an All-Star hitter more aggressively than they seem ready to do right now as they focus more on pitching? Will the Nationals, winners in three of their last four games, decide it’s time to buy if they have another great streak against the Orioles this weekend and try to add to their former team? Cubs? And what about the Phillies, Padres, Blue Jays or – God forbid – White Sox?
And what about struggling Javy Báez and Anthony Rizzo? Or one of the short term commercial chip launchers like Craig Kimbrel, Andrew Chafin, Zach Davies and Ryan Tepera?
As the Cubs return home from a 3-4 road trip after the all-star break – including losses in four of their last five games – the reality has grown as deep as the Cubs got stuck in the depths from NL Central.
It could be the last seven days – or less – at Wrigley Field in a Cubs uniform for some really big names who in some cases have done really big things in franchise history.
When asked in St. Louis if he thought he would still be a Cub on August 1, Báez replied, “Uh, yes, I believe so.”
He didn’t look convinced as he spoke the words with a sheepish smile.
“I wish I could say 100% yes, but I don’t control that,” he said. “Then we’ll see.”
Whether the weight of the suddenly imminent end of this Cubs era is the cause of Rizzo’s weeks-long slump or Báez’s three mistakes in the first two games of the series in St. Louis, anticipation of the next one. Fallout roster shoe has been palpable since Joc Pederson was traded to the Braves on the eve of Game 1 of the second half.
Báez has reason to believe the Cubs have an interest in trying to keep him, having discussed overtime possibilities in recent years and with the likelihood of them re-enlisting before he becomes a free agent in October – although ‘he told NBC Sports Chicago he had no knowledge of the talks at this point.
Rizzo – who has been mentioned in public speculation as being suited to his home organization in Boston – also seems to have a good chance of going past the deadline, in part because of the crisis but also because of mutual interest. apparent on an extension for him, ahead of his October free agency.
But Bryant looks more like a successful business candidate with each passing day – certainly with each day the bubble wrap holds.
And it’s only a matter of time for most pitchers this week – with rookies like Justin Steele expanding into the miners for a chance to fit into the August rotation. Steele makes his third start for Triple-A Iowa on Saturday after pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his first two.
“We’re just getting ready for tomorrow,” Cubs outfielder Jake Marisnick said when asked about the thoughts and conversation in the clubhouse as the deadline approaches, highlighting the common refrain of the clubhouse. group where the focus remains on work and trying to win matches.
“We can’t control it,” said Marisnick – who could also be a desirable addition for a competitor next week.
Ross, who has played 15 years in majors for seven teams, said he hasn’t seen any issues he attributes to the approaching trade deadline distracting players in a way that needs to be done. resolved.
But he is ready for this trading period to end next week.
“This is my first year there,” he says. “I’m looking forward to this, just because I no longer have to answer questions [at that point]. There is a feeling of moving forward. Either way, these are things that are beyond our control.
“So once we got to this point we went past [the departures] – we couldn’t affect them anyway.
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