PHILADELPHIA – A flulike bug that may have contributed to Wednesday’s loss knocked out shortstop Javy Baez for at least a game Thursday as the Cubs tried to avoid a sweep against the Phillies.
“It’s weird. It just pops up; it doesn’t last long; but it definitely knocks guys down for a couple days,” manager Joe Maddon said of a bug that has impacted “six or seven” players over the last three weeks.
That included starter Cole Hamels, who was struck just before his three-inning start last week in Cincinnati and was still dealing with lingering effects when he couldn’t record an out in the third Wednesday.
“I thought we would have been done with it by now,” Maddon said. “But Cole was the most recent. And now Javy. It just seems to be hanging in there somehow.”
Baez, who was replaced at short by David Bote, was the second Cubs regular scratched in as many days.
Outfielder Jason Heyward missed a second game Thursday with a sore left knee. It locked up on him at one point early Wednesday morning, causing a “sharp pain” but had improved enough by Thursday to be available off the bench.
He was expected to return to the lineup for Friday’s series opener against the Pirates.
Zobrist action
Ben Zobrist started the Class AAA portion of his comeback effort Thursday night in Memphis.
He started at second base in the game against the Cardinals affiliate and grounded into a fielder’s choice and struck out in his first two at-bats.
The Cubs’ 2016 World Series MVP has been on personal leave for family issues related to his pending divorce since early May. He’s expected to return from the restricted list at the end of the month.
In six combined games for Class A South Bend and advanced-A Myrtle Beach the last two weeks, Zobrist went 4-for-19 with two homers and three walks, batting twice as a DH and playing second base in four games.
Bullpen reinforcements report
Right-hander Brandon Kintzler, the steadiest reliever in the bullpen this season (2.33 ERA), said he’ll be ready to return from a pectoral injury on his first eligible day, Friday in Pittsburgh.
Until then, the Cubs recalled right-hander James Norwood for emergency depth Thursday after Alec Mills was needed for six innings of relief (three runs) in Wednesday’s loss.
Mills was optioned to AAA Iowa.
Also Thursday, both closer Craig Kimbrel (knee) and setup man Steve Cishek (hip) reported upbeat results after throwing bullpen sessions.
Kimbrel is to be evaluated Friday to determine whether he needs a minor-league game or is ready to rejoin the bullpen this weekend.
Cishek is on track to be activated from the injured list when eligible on Tuesday at home.
Schwarbombs
When he homered over the center field fence in the fifth inning Thursday night, Kyle Schwarber not only tied Baez for the Cubs’ home run lead this season (28).
But he also reached 100 in his career, in just 453 games – fewest for any player hitting 100 with the Cubs (teammate Kris Bryant did it in 487 games).
Even before Thursday, Schwarber was on a 16-game run that started soon after moving down from the everyday leadoff role: 12-for-40 (.300) with five homers, eight walks and a 1.140 OPS.
