MILWAUKEE – It took only a couple of swings before Thursday’s game for Cubs shortstop Javy Baez to cut his comeback short.
But he said after the Cubs’ 10-5 victory over the Brewers that he’s not concerned about a long-term issue with the jammed left thumb that has kept him sidelined since leaving Sunday’s game.
And he doesn’t think it’s worth even a precautionary MRI, he said.
“It’s all right. It just bothered me, and I had to shut it down,” he said. “It was weird. I wasn’t expecting it to be [an issue hitting]. I’m not worried about it, but it was bothering me, and I was worried more about catching than hitting.”
The Cubs so far have been able to cover for Baez’s loss to the lineup, sweeping the woeful Mariners in a two-game series at Wrigley Field and then winning the opener of this big four-game series in Milwaukee.
Manager Joe Maddon suggested that a few days off for Baez and others such as Kris Bryant, who returned from a sore knee Thursday, could benefit them down the stretch.
“We’ve been beat up some,” he said, “but on the other side, we’ve had some rest.”
That “rest” might be coming at an especially good time for Baez, who has only one home run in the last month and is hitting just .200 with a .603 OPS in the 20 games since.
“I always feel he’s one swing away from catching fire and can change the face of our lineup when he gets hot,” team president Theo Epstein said. “He contributes in so many different ways.”
Asked if he might need a couple more days off, Baez quickly dismissed the thought.
“I’m going to try [Friday] again and see how it feels then,” he said. “And if not, give it another day.”
