NEW YORK – Kris Bryant wasn’t in the Cubs starting lineup against Jacob deGrom and the Mets on Wednesday with a bruised right thumb. Bryant was hit in the thumb by a fastball during his first at-bat of the Cubs’ 3-2 loss on Tuesday.
While X-rays on Bryant’s hand were negative, the Cubs will obviously be cautious with him as he’s been everything to the team’s offense this season, slashing .292/.374/.544 with 13 home runs, 38 RBIs and a team-leading 16 doubles.
“KB’s better,” manager David Ross said. “He felt better this morning. He’ll take some swings in the cage inside, but just feels like the spot where he got hit kind of that bruise feeling. We’ll test it out and see swinging the bat here. Day-to-day, I would say.”
Maples placed on the 10-day injured list, Higgins to the 60-day
The Cubs put right-hander Dillon Maples on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 15) before Wednesday’s game with a right triceps strain. Maples has had the most success of his career this season with a 1.99 ERA in 18 appearances with 32 strikeouts. Righty Cory Abbott takes Maple’s place on the active roster. Abbott has a 2.70 ERA in two appearances this season.
The Cubs also moved backup catcher PJ Higgins to the 60-day IL with a strained right forearm. Higgins, who went on the IL on Friday, will now be out for a while as his injury that he sustained on the team’s trip to the West Coast was more serious than the team initially thought.
Higgins becomes the second backup catcher this season to suffer a serious injury. Catcher Austin Romine went down with a significant left wrist sprain in April and has not progressed like the team would have hoped.
“[PJ] played well in San Diego and complained after the game that it was kind of sore,” Ross said. “He didn’t think much of it the next day and came in and checked him out and it kind of presented where there could be some trouble. He had an MRI and it showed some damage done to the elbow.
“He’s gonna get a second opinion, I think this week and kind of assess whether it’s a surgical thing or a long rehab process. But yeah, that was some bad news we got after a good trip from San Diego. Just stinks for him to get started in his career and have a step back like that, but he’ll be back.”
Megill optioned to Triple-A Iowa, Stock recalled
To make room for right-hander Robert Stock, who was officially selected from Triple-A Iowa before making his start on Wednesday, the team optioned right-hander Trevor Megill to Iowa. Megill had four scoreless appearances for the Cubs this season with three walks and two strikeouts.
