Kris Bryant isn’t “recalcitrant” and the Cubs continue to benefit.
With Ben Zobrist out indefinitely, Javy Baez cemented at shortstop and Ian Happ stuck at Iowa, it’s fallen to Bryant to play wherever they need him. He started Sunday at third base, but has recently seen time at left field and in right.
Playing left on Saturday after moving from right, his leaping seventh-inning catch of a Manny Machado drive helped the Cubs preserve their 6-5 lead.
“He’s playing as good as he can play right now,” Joe Maddon said. “I really like what I’m watching. We all do. It’s huge that he’s been able to do that and he does it without complaint. It’s so important to what we’re doing right now. With him not being able to do that or being recalcitrant in any way it would be really difficult to make this whole thing work.”
Bryant’s versatility made Maddon think of the Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, another star who’s moved around to the benefit of his team. He also dismissed the idea that going from spot to spot can hurt a player, referencing the career of Pete Rose and how guys like B.J. Upton, Chone Figgins and Zobrist developed during their early years.
“I just think it’s really a non-sophisticated conversation I’ve talked about in the past,” Maddon said. “When a guy has had a bad day, he’s had a bad day. Let it go. When a guy’s that athletic and you can extrapolate all that out of him, that makes the team better.”
Russell’s woes
Physical mistakes happen. Maddon knows this, and doesn’t have a problem when they occur. It’s the mental blunders that bother Maddon, and Addison Russell made plenty of them Saturday.
Russell didn’t start Sunday’s game, one day after struggling both on the bases and in the field. He was doubled off second and thrown out at home, and also lost a pop-up in the sun and let another fall in behind him.
“There was other components that we need to make sure that he gets back on top of his game with,” Maddon said. “I mean, his defense for me, still among the best. It’s still among the best. He had a tough day. There’s parts of it that was… the physical mistakes I never worry about. We’ve just got to make sure the mental mistakes are curbed.”
Maddon thought Russell was “going along really well” until he placed him the No. 5 spot Friday. Since then, Russell’s gone 1 for 7 and had his well-documented struggles Saturday.
“I really felt good about it and he had a tough day,” Maddon said. “I don’t know to what level that caused an impact with his confidence. I don’t know. But (Saturday) was just a tough day, and again it wasn’t even the pop-ups. I don’t care, because the sun’s tough and the wind’s tough. It’s a thousand degrees. That’s not it.”
The injury report
Maddon had updates on Cole Hamels (left oblique strain) and Willson Contreras (right foot strain).
Maddon said it was possible Contreras could be activated in San Francisco, though he didn’t know for sure. As for Hamels, Maddon said he’s “doing well” and would find out whether he’d be going on the road trip.
Looking ahead
Alec Mills is scheduled to make his second start of the season in Monday’s series opener at the Giants. Last Tuesday, Mills allowed three runs in six innings, throwing five scoreless frames after a three-run first.
