September 1, 2017 Lackey out to bounce back from 2 rough starts Bryant, Hendricks keep Cubs rolling Russell (plantar fasciitis) out 3 more weeks

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1 September 1, 2017 Cubs.com, Lackey out to bounce back from 2 rough starts Cubs.com, Bryant, Hendricks keep Cubs rolling Cubs.com, Russell (plantar fasciitis) out 3 more weeks Cubs.com, Surging Cubs add OF Martin for stretch run Cubs.com, Sept. 8 Brewers-Cubs tilt moved to 7 p.m. CT ESPNChicago.com, Cubs hopeful Addison Russell can return to lineup before end of regular season ESPNChicago.com, Chicago allows Cubs to play rare Friday night game at Wrigley Field CSNChicago.com, Cubs know it s Javier Baez Time with Addison Russell out three more weeks CSNChicago.com, While baseball world buzzes over Justin Verlander, Cubs add Leonys Martin in trade with Mariners CSNChicago.com, Brewers fuming after Cubs get Friday night game at Wrigley Field CSNChicago.com, Cubs pushing Dillon Maples as part of first wave for September call-ups Chicago Tribune, How Cubs batters and pitchers fared during a August Chicago Tribune, Cubs acquire outfielder Leonys Martin from Mariners story.html Chicago Tribune, Addison Russell out another 3 weeks after re-aggravating foot injury

2 Chicago Tribune, After finishing August with victory, Cubs look ready for strong finish column.html Chicago Tribune, Kyle Hendricks, Kris Bryant lead Cubs to 6-2 win over Braves Chicago Tribune, City relaxes Friday night prohibition at Wrigley for Cubs' Sept. 8 game vs. Brewers column.html Chicago Sun-Times, No Verlander, no Addison Russell? No problem, say first-place Cubs Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs acquire Mariners OF Leonys Martin before playoff deadline Chicago Sun-Times, Brew Crew boo-hoo: Brewers ticked off at Cubs over schedule change Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs get one-time exception for one more night game this season Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs' starting pitchers up for a big finish Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs' Russell out another three weeks Daily Herald, City allows Chicago Cubs to play a Friday night game Cubs.com Lackey out to bounce back from 2 rough starts By Mark Bowman As John Lackey exited June with a 5.24 ERA, the Cubs were forced to at least begin discussing the possibility of removing him from their rotation. The veteran hurler halted these discussions as he produced a 3.29 ERA over his next seven starts. Now as the defending World Series champions attempt to maintain their lead in the National League Central, they need Lackey to finish the season strong. The 38-year-old hurler enters Friday afternoon's matchup against Braves at Wrigley Field having allowed 10 earned runs over 10 innings in his past two starts. Lackey experienced little trouble as he limited the Braves to one run over five innings in a July 18 win at Atlanta. He has completed more than six innings in just two of 25 starts, but has managed to complete at least five innings every time he has taken the mound this year. The Braves will counter with Mike Foltynewicz, who grew up approximately 90 minutes from Wrigley Field in Minooka, Ill. Foltynewicz showed his tendency to allow his emotions to get the best of him as he consistently overthrew pitches while allowing seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings at Wrigley Field on Aug. 20, 2015, when he made his first career start in the Chicago area.

3 Foltynewicz fared much better in his second start in Chicago. During a July 10, 2016, game against the White Sox, he notched 10 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. He has shown the capability of being a front-line starter, but before limiting the Rockies to one run over five innings Sunday, he had allowed at least six runs in three straight starts. Three things to know about this game Opponents are batting.288 and slugging.568 on pitches within the strike zone from Lackey this season, but the veteran has gotten his best results throwing to his glove side. On pitches to the outer third of the zone against righties and the inner third against lefties, Lackey has posted a.211 opponents' batting average. Nick Markakis has hit.333 (24-for-72) and compiled a.442 on-base percentage against Lackey. But Matt Kemp has hit.190 (4-for-21) and struck out nine times against the Cubs' hurler. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman leads the NL with a OPS in day games entering Friday. Cubs.com Bryant, Hendricks keep Cubs rolling By Carrie Muskat and Mark Bowman CHICAGO Kris Bryant added another milestone Thursday night. Bryant smacked a two-run homer into the wind, his 25th of the year, to back Kyle Hendricks and lead the Cubs to their fourth straight win, a 6-2 victory over the Braves. The reigning National League Most Valuable Player is the first player in franchise history and the 12th in the Majors to hit 25 or more home runs in each of his first three seasons. "It's pretty crazy when you think of the history of this organization, to be the first to do that it's really cool, an honor and very humbling," Bryant said. Jon Jay had four hits, including a triple in the eighth, to help the Cubs improve to a season-high 13 games over.500 and maintain a 3 1/2-game NL Central lead over the Brewers, who beat the Nationals on Thursday night. Bryant connected with one on and one out in the sixth inning against Jason Motte, hitting an 0-2 fastball into the left-field bleachers despite a 17-mph northeast wind. "He's been playing through all kinds of nagging injuries," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Bryant, who has dealt with ankle, wrist and hand injuries this season. "Give him credit. He's an everyday player and he comes to play. Even if there's no hits on a particular day, there's been good defense, great base running, all the other stuff he can do to help you win a baseball game. That ball was really killed [for his homer] that wind was firm." Hendricks scattered five hits over 6 2/3 innings, and was lifted after serving up pinch-hitter Lane Adams' home run with two outs in the seventh. The right-hander, who allowed two runs (one unearned), has given up 12 earned runs over 46 2/3 innings since the All-Star break for a 2.31 ERA. The Cubs gave Hendricks a cushion in the first when Jay singled, reached third on Bryant's ground-rule double and scored on Anthony Rizzo's groundout for his 97th RBI. Javier Baez added an RBI single to open a 2-0 lead. The Cubs were coming off a sweep of the Pirates, which they capped with a 17-3 win Wednesday. They have scored 15 or more runs in four games since the All-Star break, but were 0-4 the next day until Thursday's win. Atlanta rookie left-hander Sean Newcomb struck out seven over five innings but took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned). "He bent, but didn't break," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "I looked up there and the ball-strike ratio was better than it was seeming during the game. Most of the hits were with two strikes and on offspeed pitches. They

4 didn't do much with his fastball. He couldn't bury a breaking ball when he needed to and hung a changeup. With that being said, we were right there in the game." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Just missed: The Braves threatened in the eighth against Carl Edwards Jr. as Ozzie Albies singled and two outs later, Nick Markakis walked. Kurt Suzuki, who has 15 home runs, could've tied the game with No. 16, but Edwards got him to fly out to left and end the inning. Substitute starter: To account for the proposed trade to the Angels that Brandon Phillips eventually accepted, Albies was a late add to the Braves' lineup and he delivered in the fifth. Dansby Swanson reached on a fielding error by second baseman Ben Zobrist, who couldn't get a glove on the ball, and then moved up on a sacrifice by Newcomb and a groundout by Ender Inciarte before scoring on Albies' single to center. Albert Almora Jr. ended the inning with a running catch of Freddie Freeman's fly ball in center. "There were some balls that were crushed [by both teams] that got beat down [by the wind]," Snitker said. "The big play was Freddie's ball. That kid got a great jump and made a really nice play." QUOTABLE "Every game, I look back and there are two or three moments where things start to kind of speed up, or I give up things like broken-bat hits or balls that just kind of squeak through the infield. I've just got to kind of put it behind me and get the next guy." Newcomb SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Rizzo gave Hendricks a 1-0 lead in the first when a run scored on his groundout. Rizzo had 30 RBIs in August and is the first Cubs player to reach that figure in the month since Sammy Sosa (36) in August QUICK FEET Hendricks walked Albies with one out in the first, but was able to pick him off, his fifth pickoff of the season, which is tied for the most in the Majors by a right-hander. "The pickoff was large," Maddon said. "That's a really big play right there. That early in the game, it sets an entirely different tone for us and them because [Hendricks] was searching at that point." "He's one of those guys who's able to hold the ball and throw accurately to first base with quick feet," Maddon said. "It might sound simple, but it's not. It's hard to get pitchers to hold the baseball sometimes." Said Hendricks: "It's a big pickoff for sure, especially today because of how I was feeling in the beginning. I knew I was off two terrible walks early. That was a big call by [bench coach Davey Martinez]. He's had good timing. It's definitely a huge lift, especially when you're not feeling great." WHAT'S NEXT Braves: Mike Foltynewicz, who grew up about 90 miles from Wrigley Field, will take the mound in Friday's 2:20 p.m. ET matchup. The right-hander had allowed at least six runs in three straight starts before limiting the Rockies to one run over five innings Sunday. Cubs: John Lackey will open September on Friday in Game 2 of this four-game series at 1:20 p.m. CT. He went 2-1 with a 5.47 ERA in five August starts and is coming off a loss to the Phillies when he gave up four earned runs over five innings. The right-hander beat the Braves on July 18, giving up one run over five innings.

5 Cubs.com Russell (plantar fasciitis) out 3 more weeks By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO An MRI revealed that Addison Russell aggravated the plantar faciitis in his right foot and the Cubs shortstop will be sidelined another three weeks, the team announced late Thursday. Without Russell, the Cubs will be counting on Javier Baez, who has taken over the starting shortstop duties. "It's about just getting [Russell] ready," manager Joe Maddon said after the Cubs' 6-2 win over the Braves at Wrigley Field. "We don't know how this is going to play out. He's injured, we're getting him well and once he's well, we'll make that determination. There's nothing to project except to get him well." Russell was scratched from a Minor League rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday night in Memphis because he experienced some pain in his right foot. He returned to Chicago on Thursday and was examined by orthopedic specialist Dr. Stephen Gryzlo. "It's always next man up," third baseman Kris Bryant said. "[On Friday], we'll see some new faces here and reinforcements [with the callups]. It is unfortunate, Addison being hurt. I know he wants to be on the field and he's doing all he can to get on the field, but sometimes injuries nag on and you don't want to hurt it any worse. Javy has stepped up and played great since he went down and that's been awesome." This latest setback will influence who the Cubs add on Friday when Major League teams can expand their rosters. Infielder Mike Freeman, 30, who signed with the Cubs as a free agent on Aug. 6 and was playing at Iowa, was expected to be added. He played briefly for the Mariners and the Dodgers this year, and was batting.273 in 23 games with Iowa. Russell has been sidelined since Aug. 3 with a right foot strain and the Cubs were optimistic he'd return this weekend. He went 1-for-3 with a double on Monday playing for Iowa in his only rehab game. Maddon said veteran Ben Zobrist will get some work at shortstop. "We have to keep Javy well and I have to protect him and get 'Zo' over there, too, and whatever else we may choose to do," Maddon said. "My biggest concern is Javy moving through September. Without Addison, that's a difficult thought." Cubs.com Surging Cubs add OF Martin for stretch run By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO The Cubs finished August with a record, their most wins in a month this season, and they added another player to possibly help in the playoff push, acquiring outfielder Leonys Martin from the Mariners. Will that be enough to get the defending World Series champions deep into the postseason again? "I like what we've got," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said after a 6-2 win Thursday night over the Braves at Wrigley Field. "We're playing better right now. Our game has picked up, better at-bats consistently, the defense has gotten tighter and the starters are better.... I absolutely believe the ingredients are there." What will be key to watch in the final month of regular-season games will be how the Cubs deal with the absence of shortstop Addison Russell, expected to be sidelined at least three more weeks after aggravating the plantar faciitis in his right foot. Javier Baez has taken over since Aug. 3 when Russell was injured. "My biggest concern is Javy moving through September," Maddon said. "Without Addison, that's a difficult thought."

6 Jon Lester will return to the rotation Saturday, his first start since Aug. 17 after missing time because of fatigue in his left shoulder. Catcher Willson Contreras (right hamstring strain) is nearing the end of his four-week DL stint. He's been out since Aug. 11. Maddon sees more positives. Jon Jay has provided stability at leadoff. Jay collected his second four-hit game of the season Thursday, recording three hits off a left-hander for the first time this year. "At the beginning of the season, I said I thought he was an acquired taste someone you have to watch play often," Maddon said of Jay. "If you pop in and watch him for a game, you might not be duly impressed, but watch him every game, and he's impressive." Jay has led off 35 games, second-highest on the Cubs, one game behind leader Kyle Schwarber (36 games). "He's been a tremendous pickup for us," Maddon said of Jay. At the non-waiver Trade Deadline in July, the Cubs acquired lefty Justin Wilson, and the reliever scuffled in his first few games with the team. On Thursday, he struck out the side in the ninth and could help in late-inning situations. "That's what he's capable of doing and that's what could make a huge difference moving down the September road," Maddon said. Wilson admits he went through a "little funk," but wasn't sure if he would've had those problems if he'd stayed with the Tigers. The lefty made some mechanical tweaks and it's working. "Everything feels good now and I'm playing good baseball and I have to keep that rolling," Wilson said. Martin, 29, was acquired along with cash for a player to be named and cash. He was not put on the Cubs' 40-man roster immediately, but is in the organization in time to be eligible to play in the postseason. He began the season as the Mariners' starting center fielder and batted.174 in 34 games. At Triple-A Tacoma, he hit.307 with 11 home runs, 24 doubles and 39 RBIs. Are the Cubs trending in the right direction? "Our pitchers have been great in the second half and our at-bats have been really great, too," said third baseman Kris Bryant, who hit a two-run homer in Thursday's victory. "I think in August, we had a great month overall. It's all positive signs." Cubs.com Sept. 8 Brewers-Cubs tilt moved to 7 p.m. CT By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO The Cubs' Sept. 8 game against the Brewers, which was originally scheduled to start at 1:20 p.m. CT, will now start at 7:05 p.m., a rare Friday night regular-season game at Wrigley Field. "We thank Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel for his receptiveness to address this scheduling issue, which has posed a challenge for Cubs teams over the years when returning home from the road," said Crane Kenney, the Cubs' president of business operations. "We are glad to have been able to work together to address this issue and help our team and organization as we compete to play October baseball." The Cubs are set to open a four-game series in Pittsburgh on Monday and close that series with a night game on Sept. 7.

7 The City of Chicago is allowing the one-time exemption. Emanuel said in a statement that with the Cubs "in the thick of a pennant race, we're going to make sure the Cubs can focus on doing what they need to do, winning ballgames and bringing another World Series back to Chicago." Alderman Tom Tunney, who represents the Wrigleyville area, said in a statement that he hopes the exemption "will further ensure a playoff berth for our Cubs." ESPNChicago.com Cubs hopeful Addison Russell can return to lineup before end of regular season By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell is out at least another three weeks after he reaggravated a plantar fasciitis injury before a rehab start Wednesday. The Cubs are hopeful Russell could return by the end of the regular season or for the playoffs, but they're unsure of a timeline. "It's about getting him ready," manager Joe Maddon said after his team beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2 on Thursday night. "We don't know how this is going to play out. He's injured. We're getting him well. Once he's well, we'll make that determination. There's nothing really to project upon except for getting him well." Russell has been out of the lineup since Aug. 2 and was close to returning after playing a game at Triple-A Iowa on Monday, but before Wednesday's contest he felt soreness and the Cubs shut him down. The lingering injury means Javy Baez will remain the starting shortstop as he has played every game since Russell went down. "I have [gotten] my rest during the whole season on the days I didn't play," Baez said. "I'm not going to get tired because I want to play every day. I'll be ready every day to make adjustments... Playing shortstop is my natural position, so I should not have any problems with it." The Cubs have gone without Russell in the lineup, mostly behind a dynamic offense which leads the major leagues in scoring since the All-Star break. Third baseman Kris Bryant hit his 25th home run Thursday making him just the 12th player in MLB history and first Cub ever to hit at least 25 home runs in each of his first three seasons. Meanwhile, first baseman Anthony Rizzo is the first Cub since Sammy Sosa in 2001 to drive in 30 runs in a calendar month. The Cubs have enough overall depth to overcome the Russell injury, though they're weaker at second base with Baez now at shortstop. Ben Zobrist and Ian Happ are expected to see the majority of time at second, but neither is the defender that Baez is. More concerning to Maddon is what's behind Baez at short now. There isn't another natural shortstop on the roster. "We think we're fine," Maddon said. "I really believe we have to keep Javy well. We really have to protect Javy is what we have to do. I have to give him a day off now and then." The Cubs will call up infielder Mike Freeman from Triple-A Iowa on Friday when rosters expand. He has started 22 games at shortstop in the minors this season, but the team did not make any last minute waiver-deadline deals for an infielder. Instead, they picked up outfielder Leonys Martin from the Seattle Mariners along with cash for a player to be named later or cash. Martin provides defensive and pinch-running ability as the Cubs fortify for the stretch run. He has 114 career steals but just a.300 on-base percentage. "Without Addison there, that is a really difficult thought," Maddon said. ESPNChicago.com Chicago allows Cubs to play rare Friday night game at Wrigley Field By Jesse Rogers

8 CHICAGO The Cubs will host a rare Friday night game Sept. 8 against the Milwaukee Brewers, after getting permission from the city of Chicago, in order to accommodate their travel schedule. The game between the firstplace Cubs and second-place Brewers was originally scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT, but the Cubs were given permission based on playing the night before in Pittsburgh, then needing to travel home. This will be the first regular-season night game the team has ever hosted on a Friday, as neighborhood restrictions limit the Cubs to 47 night games and summer concerts throughout the season. The team couldn't request the change until learning that ESPN wasn't going to televise any of their remaining Sunday home games, which would have maxed out the team's limit. Manager Joe Maddon has been a big proponent of a more accommodating schedule for his team since he was hired before the 2015 season. He helped eliminate "awkward" 3:05 p.m. CT start times and pushed for this game to be moved as well. "I'm excited about that. It s a great idea," Maddon said of the change. "Let's do it more often. It helps us out schedulewise, and it s just a good idea in general. I would love to see it on a week-by-week basis." The Brewers aren't as excited about the switch, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Told the Brewers were apparently unhappy over the change, Maddon said he wasn't sure why they'd be unhappy. "You would have to ask them," Maddon said. CSNChicago.com Cubs know it s Javier Baez Time with Addison Russell out three more weeks By Patrick Mooney Cubs manager Joe Maddon sounded more guarded during Thursday s pregame media session maybe even a little distracted by everything buzzing around this team not quite in the same entertainment mode that usually drives his on-camera performances in the Wrigley Field interview room. The Cubs delivered the news after a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves: An MRI on Addison Russell s right foot revealed a re-aggravation of the plantar fasciitis that s expected to keep their All-Star shortstop sidelined for three more weeks. But the defending World Series champs also appear to be peaking at the right time, surging into September with a record since the All-Star break and at a high-water mark this season, 13 games over.500. The Cubs also understand that it is now Javier Baez Time. I m not gonna get tired, Baez said, because that s what I want: I want to play every day. To help the team, I will do anything. Playing short is my natural position, so I shouldn t have any problems with it. Putting together all his unique skills, a combination of style and substance, Baez closed out the month with a.290 average, seven homers, 21 runs scored and 25 RBI in 28 August games, still making spectacular defensive plays from the other side of the infield and then getting braids for the pennant race. It s always next man up, Kris Bryant said. It is unfortunate, the whole Addison situation, being hurt. I know that he wants to be out on the field and he s doing all he can to get out on the field but sometimes injuries can nag on.

9 Javy s stepped up and played really great since (Addison) went down. It s been awesome. And he s got a new hairdo. Russell has been out of the lineup since Aug. 2 and the Cubs are still rolling. But what if Baez gets hurt? Bryant did play one inning at shortstop during last year s MVP campaign, though even Maddon won t push it too far in that direction: I don t really want to do it based on double plays, but it s not impossible. He s just not used to that. Maddon sees the same issue with Ian Happ, who s been taking groundballs at shortstop: Again, I m just concerned about guys that haven t done it. We re talking a pretty important time of the year. The Cubs will make Triple-A Iowa infielder Mike Freeman who signed a minor-league deal in early August part of their first wave of September call-ups. Ben Zobrist the World Series MVP who looked like he was becoming a part-time player will now expand his super-utility role. We got to get Zo acclimated more there, Maddon said, but we also have other ideas that we can maybe reveal tomorrow or the next day. The Cubs go into September with: a 3.5-game lead on the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central; bad teams all over the rest of their schedule; $155 million ace Jon Lester about to rejoin the rotation; and the most exciting backup shortstop on the planet. Baez, a breakout star during last year s postseason, will keep his leading role at shortstop. Teammates described Russell feeling a snap or a pop that might help focus the daily treatment, streamline his recovery process and get him ready in time for the playoffs. Javy s played unbelievable there, winning pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. This team s so versatile. You don t notice it too much when a guy like (Addison) goes down. We ll definitely miss him, but hopefully this is a positive and he can come back in the next couple weeks and make a run with us at the end. CSNChicago.com While baseball world buzzes over Justin Verlander, Cubs add Leonys Martin in trade with Mariners By Patrick Mooney While the baseball world buzzed over the blockbuster Justin Verlander deal that apparently fell apart and then came together for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros, the Cubs made a minor trade with the Seattle Mariners before the Aug. 31 deadline, bringing extra outfielder Leonys Martin into their organization. The Mariners included cash in the trade and will receive a player to be named later or cash for Martin, who got designated for assignment twice this season and was no longer part of Seattle s 40-man roster but is now eligible to become part of a playoff roster for the Cubs. It s not immediately clear where Martin will report or when or if the Cubs will eventually add him to their active roster but he sure looks like a pinch-running specialist for September. Martin has 114 career stolen bases and could fill the role Dave Roberts made famous with the 2004 Boston Red Sox or at least represent the speed option Quintin Berry had been for the 2015 Cubs. Martin, a Cuban defector, spent his first five big-league seasons with the Texas Rangers, where he put up 30-plus stolen bases in 2013 and 2014 and developed a reputation as a solid defender, though that combination of skills hasn t been enough to make up for a career.662 OPS. Leading up to Thursday s unusually dramatic waiver deadline (11 p.m. Chicago time), the Cubs didn t see Verlander s no-trade rights as an obstacle, framing their discussions around the price point where it would make

10 sense to: absorb the $56 million remaining on the final two guaranteed years of his contract; drain a prospect pool that s been tapped in multiple win-now deals; and take on the injury risk with a pitcher who will be 35 next season. An Astros team with the best record in the American League and zero World Series titles in franchise history looked at Verlander and asked the same question Cubs president Theo Epstein did last summer after acquiring Aroldis Chapman: If not now, when? CSNChicago.com Brewers fuming after Cubs get Friday night game at Wrigley Field By Patrick Mooney The Cubs are always playing hardball, fighting City Hall and flexing their muscles in Wrigleyville, trying to maximize an iconic stadium jammed into a cramped neighborhood and grab another World Series trophy. The attitude apparently bothers the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs could fly a W after this political battle, getting Mayor Rahm Emanuel to agree to what Ald. Tom Tunney called a one-time exemption of the city ordinance that prohibits Friday night games during the regular season, and moving the scheduled Sept. 8 start from 1:20 to 7:05 against the Brewers. This will only add to a simmering rivalry, with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting the Brewers vigorously objected to a time change made for competitive reasons. The Brewers have a day off on Sept. 7, when the Cubs will be playing a night game in Pittsburgh and then flying back to Chicago. I don t know I hear different things, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Thursday. But I would have no idea why they would (object). If they did, you d have to ask them. Maybe the Brewers don t like the Cubs? Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell delivered this sarcastic line after the Cubs postponed a May 20 game on what turned out to be a beautiful afternoon in Chicago: First time for us that we ve had players treated for sunburn after a rainout. The sellout crowds and loud cheers for the rock-star team on the road are impossible to miss when the Cubs play at Miller Park. In contrast, the Brewers had 17 players in their Opening Day roster picture making around the minimum salary, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, adding up to a payroll of roughly $56 million. In the middle of a surprising, ahead-of-schedule season, the rebuilding Brewers did extensive background work on pitcher Jose Quintana and discussed a potential deal with the White Sox before the Cubs swooped in and made a blockbuster trade during the All-Star break. The Cubs and Brewers will play seven times in September and create playoff-type environments. But this is a bigger-picture issue than the National League Central race for Maddon, who has repeatedly lobbied for a more flexible/standard schedule than the one that limits the Cubs to 47 night events a year (including lucrative concerts that are exempt from Major League Baseball s revenue-sharing program). I d love to see it on a week-by-week basis, Maddon said. It s a great idea. Moving forward, I like it a lot. I think it makes all the sense in the world. For us to play Friday (nights at home) would make a big difference for us during the course of a long summer. CSNChicago.com Cubs pushing Dillon Maples as part of first wave for September call-ups By Patrick Mooney

11 The next stop for Dillon Maples a fading prospect so far off the grid that it wouldn t have been surprising if the Cubs released him in spring training will be Wrigley Field. Now the Cubs are pushing Maples as part of the first wave of September call-ups that will arrive in time for Friday s game against the Atlanta Braves, a stunning rise for a pitcher who began this season at advanced Class-A Myrtle Beach with a 5.33 career ERA and only innings on his professional resume. The Cubs are also preparing to add catcher Victor Caratini and infielder Mike Freeman insurance policies with Willson Contreras (strained right hamstring) and Addison Russell (strained right foot) sidelined and activate reliever Justin Grimm (right index finger infection) from the disabled list. The Cubs will also reinforce their pitching staff again after Triple-A Iowa s season ends on Labor Day. The X-factor is Maples, whose worst pitch might be a 100-mph fastball. The right-hander finally stayed healthy and figured some things out during his age-25 season. Pitching backwards with an off-the-charts slider, he piled up 100 strikeouts (and 37 walks) in 63.1 innings at three different minor-league affiliates combined. The Cubs bet on Maples in the 14th round of the 2011 draft, the last one overseen by former general manager Jim Hendry and the final class before a new labor deal imposed severe spending restrictions. Chairman Tom Ricketts authorized a spending spree on amateur talent that included first-round pick Javier Baez and the $2.5 million bonus that convinced Maples to decline his football scholarship to the University of North Carolina. Chicago Tribune How Cubs batters and pitchers fared during a August By Mark Gonzales Thanks to more muscle, the Cubs achieved their third consecutive winning record in August under manager Joe Maddon. Although their record wasn't as dominant as their mark over the past two Augusts, the Cubs held their lead in the National League Central. The offense showed the most improvement, as they batted.290 with 48 home runs and a.487 slugging percentage. They also improved their batting average with runners in scoring position to.250, a 13-point improvement since the end of July. The offense, however, struck out 274 times their highest total of any month this season. Thanks to a few rocky outings, Cubs pitchers posted a 4.18 ERA, including a 4.76 mark by the relievers. Here's a look at the monthly individual performances. Batters Anthony Rizzo: 7 HRs, 30 RBIs,.355 batting average,.433 on-base percentage Kris Bryant: 5 HRs, 14 RBIs, 17 BB, 18 K's,.343 BA,.457 on-base percentage Albert Almora Jr.:.327,.351 on-base percentage Javier Baez: 7 HRs, 25 RBIs,.290 BA, 34 strikeouts,.339 on-base percentage Ben Zobrist:.250 batting average,.366 on-base percentage

12 Ian Happ: 7 HRs, 17 RBIs,.269 BA, 25 K's in 67 ABs,.346 on-base percentage Alex Avila:.267, 15 RBIs, 25 K's in 60 ABs Jason Heyward: 3 extra base hits, 7 RBIs,.262 batting average Jon Jay:.258 batting average,.343 on-base percentage Kyle Schwarber:.238 batting average, 7 HRs, 12 RBIs, 35 K's in 84 ABs Pitchers Jake Arrieta: 4-1, 1.21 ERA, 1 HR in 37 1/3 innings,.201 opponents' BA Mike Montgomery: 2-0, 1.73 ERA, 0.96 WHIP,.207 opponents' BA Brian Duensing: 1.93 ERA in 15 appearances,.235 opponents' BA Kyle Hendricks: 2-1, 2.41, 35 K's in 37 1/3 innings,.234 opponents BA Wade Davis: 2.79 ERA, 7 BB, 8 K's, 9 2/3 innings, 1.73 opponents BA Justin Wilson: 12 K's, 9 BB, 11 innings,.227 opponents BA John Lackey: 2-1, 5.47 ERA, 7 HRs,.276 opponents BA Jose Quintana: 3-2, 5.73, 33 hits, 6 HRs, 37 K's, 33 innings Carl Edwards Jr.: 6.35 ERA, 7 BB, 15 K's, 11 1/3 innings,.162 opponents BA Pedro Strop: 6.35 ERA, 10 hits, 12 K's, 11 1/3 innings Koji Uehara: 7.36 ERA, 3 HRs, 7 1/3 innings Hector Rondon: 8.64 ERA, 15 hits, 5 HRs, 8 1/3 innings,.385 opponents BA Chicago Tribune Cubs acquire outfielder Leonys Martin from Mariners By Paul Sullivan The Cubs made a late-night acquisition on Thursday before the 11 p.m. deadline, acquiring Mariners outfielder Leonys Martin and cash for a player to be named later or cash. Martin, a 29-year-old left-hander hitter from Cuba, hit.174 in 115 at-bats for Seattle this year, and.307 in Triple-A. He spent five years with Texas and two with the Mariners and is a.248 career hitter with 38 home runs. Martin has not yet been added to the Cubs 40-man roster, but will be eligible for the postseason when he arrives since he was in the organization before Sept. 1. Martin won t be called up on Friday, but it expected to join the Cubs soon and be employed as a spare outfielder and pinch-runner. He cleared waivers last week after being designated for assignment by the Mariners.

13 Chicago Tribune Addison Russell out another 3 weeks after re-aggravating foot injury By Paul Sullivan Shortstop Addison Russell underwent an MRI exam on his right foot Thursday after being examined by Cubs orthopedic physician Stephen Gryzlo. The MRI revealed Russell re-aggravated plantar fasciitis in his right foot and will be out for at least three more weeks. He had been planning to return this week but aggravated the injury while on rehab at Triple-A Iowa. Mike Freeman, a 30-year-old infielder the Cubs signed when the Dodgers designated him for assignment three weeks ago, is expected to be called up from Triple-A Iowa on Friday when rosters expand. Freeman is a career.123 hitter in 41 major-league games and was hitting.306 at three Triple-A stops this year. With Russell's return date unknown, Freeman could be Javier Baez's primary backup at short. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Ben Zobrist, who played short in the ninth inning of Wednesday's blowout, is the current backup. Until then, Baez had played every inning at short since Russell went on the disabled list on Aug. 3. "We've got to get 'Zo' to become acclimated more there, but we also have other ideas that maybe we can reveal (Friday or Saturday)," Maddon said. Maddon said it would not be "impossible" to see Kris Bryant play short, but added "he's just not used to that." Ian Happ has taken grounders at short but also is a longshot. "We're talking about a pretty important time of the year," Maddon said. Maddon reiterated Baez will go back to second when Russell returns, though he'll still get time at short when Russell sits. Other call-ups Friday will be reliever Dillon Maples and catcher Victor Caratini. Justin Grimm will be activated from the DL. Rotation roulette: Maddon said Jon Lester feels good and is ready to go on Saturday. Lester, on the DL with shoulder fatigue, was unavailable to speak to the media. Mike Montgomery remains scheduled to start Sunday before the Cubs make a decide whether to continue with a six-man rotation or return him to the bullpen. Montgomery allowed one run in 13 innings in his two starts replacing Lester. "We'll get this ironed out in the next couple days," Maddon said. Closing time: The all-time record for consecutive saves is 84, held by the Dodgers' Eric Gagne from Wade Davis was at 32 going into Thursday's game, including 27-for-27 with the Cubs, a franchise record. "It's pretty cool to do something like that," Davis said. "It means you're doing your job and things are going good." Zach Britton's American League record of 60 consecutive saves ended last week. Davis has a long way to go to catch Gagne or Britton. "Obviously I've never been there, so I don't know what I'll do if I ever get to that spot," he said. "It keeps you hungry I'm sure."

14 Chicago Tribune After finishing August with victory, Cubs look ready for strong finish By Paul Sullivan Strong finishes have been the trademark of the Cubs since manager Joe Maddon's arrival in 2015, and this year is looking like a rerun. The Cubs ended August with a major-league leading 191 runs in the month, scoring 15 or more in a game four times. It's the kind of statement good teams make, even teams that haven't lived up to expectations for much of the season. The Cubs finished off a strong note Thursday night with a 6-2 victory over the Braves at Wrigley Field, and now it's on to September, where they hope to separate themselves from their two closest pursuers, the Brewers and the Cardinals. It was the third straight season the Cubs took off in August, going "I think it's just other teams being tired and us taking advantage of that," Kris Bryant said. "Just kind of keeping the foot on the gas pedal, and that's what we did. On the hitters side of things, I think this month was our best month of the season, and I'm sure the pitching side of things too. When you have both of that coming together, it makes for a lot of wins." Bryant's two-run homer and another sharp outing from Kyle Hendricks gave the Cubs their fourth straight victory and put them a season-high 13 games above.500. Bryant, who came in with a.340 average and.459 OBP in August, became the first player in franchise history with 25 or more home runs in each of his first three seasons. He now has reached safely in each of his last 25 starts. The only downside of the day was the MRI revelation that Addison Russell re-aggravated his plantar fasciitis injury and will miss at least three more weeks, making him unknown for the postseason. Maddon said he couldn't project that far ahead. Russell's setback means Javier Baez will have to continue to carry the load at shortstop. "I'm not going to get tired because that's what I want," Baez said. "I want to play every day and be ready every day. I saw him today and asked him how he was doing. He told me he was doing fine and his foot finally popped. Hopefully he gets back pretty soon." Baez has played Gold Glove caliber shortstop and is playing like an All-Star, so it's not as big a loss as it otherwise would be. "Javy has stepped up and played really great since (Russell) went down, and that has been awesome," Bryant said. "And he has a new hairdo." Bryant wasn't a fan of the dreadlock extensions, but added: "I support his individuality." The Cubs didn't make any major moves at the 11 p.m. deadline for newly acquired players to be eligible for the postseason roster, but acquired Mariners outfielder Leonys Martin and cash for a player to be named or cash. Martin won't report to the Cubs on Friday, but can be placed on the postseason roster. Mike Montgomery's sterling performance in the rotation during Jon Lester's two-week stint on the disabled list provided enough evidence for the front office to stay the course rotation-wise instead of taking on Justin Verlander's huge contract from the Tigers.

15 Lester will return to the rotation Saturday, and Montgomery gets at least one more start Sunday before likely moving back to the bullpen. Willson Contreras, the team's MVP until his hamstring strain suffered Aug. 10, also will return this month to solidify a lineup that seemingly has gotten its act together in spite of his absence. With 29 games left, the Cubs are 31/2 games ahead of the Brewers, while the Cardinals were 61/2 back before their late game ended in San Francisco. Last year at this point the Cubs were 15 games ahead and never took their foot off the gas. No matter what the Cubs have done so far, nothing really matters until the calendar turns and the races heat up. This is where Maddon earns his paycheck. In the last two seasons under Maddon, the Cubs have gone from Sept. 1 to the end of the regular season, a.683 winning percentage. They probably won't need to be that dominant to win the National League Central, though they would like to be able to clinch before the final days so they could set up their rotation for the Nationals in the division series that has been telegraphed for weeks. With the Braves in town for a four-game series, the Cubs have a chance to beef up on a team that is trying to rebuild and compete at the same time, with little success in either area. Maddon stacked his lineup with righthanders against Braves rookie left-hander Sean Newcomb, and it worked just fine. The Cubs scored a pair of runs in the first inning on Anthony Rizzo's groundout and Baez's RBI single. They capitalized again on a two-out error in the third, making it 3-0 on a bases-loaded walk to Rene Rivera. That was all Hendricks needed on a summer night that felt more like October. He was back to his old self again and so, it appears, are the Cubs. Chicago Tribune Kyle Hendricks, Kris Bryant lead Cubs to 6-2 win over Braves By Paul Sullivan The Cubs jumped out early against the Braves Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Wrigley Field, and hung on for a 6-2 win. They ended the month of August with a record. At the plate Jon Jay, playing in left while Kyle Schwarber sat against left-hander Sean Newcomb, singled in his first three at-bats and went 4-for-5. The Cubs scored two in the first on an Anthony Rizzo groundout and an RBI single by Javy Baez. Kris Bryant added a two-run shot into the wind off ex-cub Jason Motte in the sixth, his 25th of the season, making him the first Cub in history with 25 or more home runs in each of his first three seasons. Ben Zobrist had an RBI single in the eighth. On the mound Kyle Hendricks had another strong outing, allowing one earned run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings to improve to 6-4. Carl Edwards Jr. escaped a jam in the eighth, retiring Kurt Suzuki on a fly to left with two on, and Justin Wilson finished it off with three strikeouts in the ninth.

16 In the field Zobrist committed an error in the fifth that led to an unearned run. Key number: 191 The Cubs led the majors in August with 191 runs scored. Next up Braves, 1:20 p.m., John Lackey vs. Mike Foltynewicz. Chicago Tribune City relaxes Friday night prohibition at Wrigley for Cubs' Sept. 8 game vs. Brewers By Paul Sullivan The Cubs will play a 7:05 p.m. night game on Sept. 8 against the Brewers after an agreement between Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Ald. Tom Tunney. The game with postseason ramifications originally was scheduled for 1:20 p.m., but the city is allowing a one-time exemption of the prohibition against Friday night games at Wrigley Field. "I'm excited about that," manager Joe Maddon said. "It's a great idea. Let's do it more often.... It really helps us out, schedule-wise, and it's just a good idea in general. I'd love to see it on a week-by-week basis." Left fielder Kyle Schwarber agreed the switch would be good for the Cubs. "Friday night game, that'll be fun for sure," he said. "Get a night game in and just to be able to have Wrigley packed and everything, that'll be fun.... The way our schedule is lined up, it's all wacky with the day games. Whenever you can mix in a night game it's cool." Emanuel said in a statement that with the Cubs "in the thick of a pennant race, we're going to make sure the Cubs can focus on doing what they need to do, winning ballgames and bringing another World Series back to Chicago." Tunney said in a statement he hopes the exemption "will further ensure a playoff berth for our Cubs." Apparently the decision upset the Brewers, who had an off day on Sept. 7 and figured to have an advantage in a day game with the Cubs arriving back from Pittsburgh in the middle of the night after a 6:05 p.m. Central Time start. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tom Haudricourt tweeted that the Brewers were "vigorously opposed" to the switch, but were overruled by Major League Baseball. Maddon said he had "no idea" why the Brewers cared. The Cubs have asked the city to relax the Friday night rule, which has been in place since lights were installed in Local establishments want to keep the rule intact so Cubs games don't scare away customers in an already congested neighborhood where parking is scarce. "We thank Mayor Emanuel for his receptiveness to address this scheduling issue which has posed a challenge for Cubs teams over the years when returning home from the road," president Crane Kenney said in a statement. "We are glad to have been able to work together to address this issue and help our team and organization as we compete to play October baseball." Kenney declined to elaborate. The Cubs did not reveal when the negotiations for a change began and whether this opens the door for more Friday night games down the road.

17 Maddon recently lobbied for Friday night games, saying the players needed time off in the day for things like laundry or just to sleep in. "I think it makes all the sense in the world," Maddon said. "A lot of stuff I don't know about for certain, but for us to play Friday night and (day games) just on weekends it would make a big difference for us over the course of a long summer." The Cubs are still under their annual limit of 47 night events, which included 10 concerts this season. Chicago Sun-Times No Verlander, no Addison Russell? No problem, say first-place Cubs By Gordon Wittenmyer As August slipped into September, the Cubs learned they won t have Justin Verlander for the playoff run they re planning this fall. The bigger problem is they also learned they won t have shortstop Addison Russell for most or all of the final month of the season. It s next man up, said reigning MVP Kris Bryant, who hit his 25th homer in a 6-2 victory over the Braves on Thursday night and who seemed confident the Cubs have plenty left on the roster to finish off the National League Central race. Russell suffered a rupture of the already injured plantar fasciitis ligament in his right foot during his minor-league rehab assignment this week, an MRI on Thursday revealed. The team estimated recovery time in the neighborhood of three weeks. The news came on the final day for teams to acquire players in time to be eligible for the postseason. The Cubs had contact with the Tigers on big-ticket ace Verlander, the former Cy Young winner and MVP who wound up with the Astros in the final minutes before rosters locked in. One report said Verlander who had full no-trade rights waited that long to consent to the trade because he preferred the Cubs and hoped to give them time to make a deal. Sources said the Cubs shied from $56 million owed the next two years to Verlander. And they didn t have the quality of upper-level prospects in their system to compete with the Astros to drive the financial cost down. Seeking depth at shortstop and elsewhere, the Cubs settled for a small trade with the Mariners that landed outfielder Leonys Martin and cash for a player to be named later or cash. Martin, who was playing at Class AAA for Seattle, won t immediately join the big-league club; he s considered defensive depth and speed off the bench. Meanwhile, Javy Baez said he s ready to handle short in Russell s absence every day as long as Russell is out. The rotation, which got an encouraging 6⅔ innings from Kyle Hendricks in the victory Thursday, gets another boost Saturday when Opening Day starter Jon Lester returns from two weeks on the disabled list (lat tightness/shoulder fatigue). And manager Joe Maddon said he likes what he has and how his team is playing right now as he attacks September trying to build on the 3½-game lead the Cubs have over the second-place Brewers. I absolutely believe the ingredients are here, Maddon said.