The Cubs are right there with Ben Zobrist as the veteran’s personal leave of absence hits one month, vice president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said before Wednesday’s game against the Rockies at Wrigley Field.
They’re right there as far as staying informed.
“He’s been communicative with us,” Epstein said. “We have an understanding of what’s going on with him.”
And they’re right there as far as having his back.
“Families and personal lives come first — that’s the rule we run our organization by,” Epstein said. “He’s been in touch with me, and I know at some point he plans on being in touch with his teammates. How much he communicates with [media] or the fans, that’s a personal decision.”
And Epstein made another thing clear: The Cubs will not engage in public speculation about the status of Zobrist’s career.
Will the 38-year-old ever play in a Cubs uniform again? Will he retire?
“It would be most appropriate, if we get to the point where there are any updates, that they come from him,” Epstein said.
Zobrist “[doesn’t] owe us anything,” Epstein added. That is in one sense plainly true, since the Cubs aren’t paying him while he’s on the restricted list.
Meanwhile, a reported agreement, pending a physical, with free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel Wednesday night only further fueled speculation that Zobrist’s time with the Cubs may be over.
The Cubs have saved a little over $2 million on Zobrist’s salary since he last played on May 6 and will save the same amount each month he remains on the restricted list. If Zobrist remains out for the rest of the season, the Cubs will save about $9 million. For a team that purportedly entered the season with little flexibility to add expensive talent, it’s certainly possible the Zobrist savings helped allow a Kimbrel agreement to happen.
Darvish foiled again
Yu Darvish failed to win his first home start in seven tries this season and — hard to believe, but true — earned his seventh consecutive no-decision overall.
Emphasis on “earned.”
Darvish was electric for most of his outing against the Rockies, stifling them through five scoreless innings. He struck out Daniel Murphy to end a 13-pitch at-bat in the second. He struck out Ryan McMahon to end a two-on jam in the fourth. And he recorded the first out of the sixth inning — his last — while working on a two-hitter.
Then the wheels came off. In order, Darvish — working with a 3-0 lead — walked Trevor Story and gave up a double to David Dahl and a run-scoring single to Nolan Arenado. His night over, he watched as an Anthony Rizzo throwing error helped the Rockies tie the game off reliever Kyle Ryan.
After the Cubs took that lead in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run homer by David Bote, the crowd was jumping and Darvish seemed to have the boost he needed to get himself over the hump. No dice.
Draft pulls
The Cubs completed their 2019 draft Wednesday, having made 40 selections in all. First came Fresno State pitcher Ryan Jensen in the opening round. Last came high school outfielder Mac Bingham in Round No. 40. In all, they selected 22 pitchers, three catchers, seven outfielders and eight infielders.
