CHICAGO _ Kris Bryant managed through the pain of a sprained left pinkie for nearly the entire second half of 2017, and he might have to cope with similar discomfort in his left shoulder when he rejoins the Cubs.
Bryant, who hasn't played since June 22, could need a short minor-league rehab assignment before he's activated from the 10-day disabled list. But manager Joe Maddon acknowledged that Bryant could return despite feeling less than 100 percent.
"Maybe it's just more of a manageable situation to begin with," Maddon said Friday after Bryant took batting practice in the indoor cages. "How much can he handle?"
Maddon said Bryant feels the discomfort when he finishes his swing and understands it could linger.
"We've all been through that, where you get those kind of nagging things, and then whether sometimes historically you slide and put your hand down, all of a sudden that wrist bothers you for an entire season and gets well in November and December," Maddon said. "I really don't know. (The discomfort is) not totally gone."
Last season Bryant missed only one game after injuring his pinkie on a headfirst slide July 19. He raised his batting average by 20 points but hit only 10 home runs after the injury.
