CHICAGO _ Kris Bryant met with team doctor Stephen Adams before taking batting practice Thursday as the Cubs await the third baseman's return.
"I don't anticipate anything awful or bad," manager Joe Maddon said once again. "We're just waiting for everyone to be on board. Once we do that, he'll be out there playing."
The question remains when as Bryant remains under evaluation since a 96-mph pitch from the Rockies' German Marquez hit him in the head in the first inning of Sunday's game. He hasn't been placed under Major League Baseball's concussion protocol, nor has the possibility of being transferred to the seven-day concussion list surfaced.
Maddon was a minor-league roommate of Dickie Thon, whose batting average never equaled his career best from 1983 after a beaning from Mike Torrez in 1984 though he played nine more seasons. In light of that, Maddon has been careful not to pepper Bryant with questions and would advise him to talk to teammates who have experienced similar injuries if asked.
"Eventually you get back on a horse and stop thinking about it," Maddon said. "It's pretty much what happens. We can all relate to different situations in your life. When you might have a traumatic thing that occurs, it might linger for a few days, (but) hopefully it goes away, which it (usually) does.
"I'm just listening to what his needs are, making sure the medical procedures are being followed so we're doing everything right. It's never going to be a unilateral decision on my part that he plays. I'm listening to KB, our doctors, trying to do the right things and get him back out there. It's early. I really feel strongly he's going to be fine but don't want to push it."
Despite missing three starts, Bryant led the National League in getting hit by pitches with seven, followed by teammate Anthony Rizzo (six).
"It's a scary thing," Rizzo said of Bryant's beaning.
