June 20, 2017 Ben Zobrist Sets Target Date For Return To Cubs Lineup After MRI On Wrist

Transcription

1 June 20, 2017 CSNChicago.com, Ben Zobrist Sets Target Date For Return To Cubs Lineup After MRI On Wrist CSNChicago.com, 'It's Game On' Anthony Rizzo Won't Back Down After Padres Call Him Out For 'Cheap Shot' CSNChicago.com, What Cubs Would Have To Give Up In Eloy Jimenez To Get A Frontline Pitcher Chicago Tribune, Anthony Rizzo's home-plate collision irks Padres in Cubs' 3-2 win Chicago Tribune, 2017 Cubs reminiscent of another of Theo Epstein's defending champs Chicago Tribune, Cubs prospect report: Catcher Victor Caratini presents intriguing options story.html Chicago Tribune, Mike Montgomery, Eddie Butler anxious to stabilize starting spots story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp3 Chicago Tribune, Cubs taking it slow with injuries to trustworthy Ben Zobrist, others Chicago Sun-Times, Rizzo fuels Cubs win over Padres, who take exception after 3-2 loss Chicago Sun-Times, Zobrist s MRI comes back clean; Friday is the target for return Chicago Sun-Times, You can make persuasive case for Kris Bryant to start All-Star Game Daily Herald, Will Rizzo in leadoff spot help Chicago Cubs rise above mediocrity? Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs closer to some healthy returns Cubs.com, Cubs rally past Padres with HR, E in key 7th

2 Cubs.com, Contreras celebrates with anniversary homer Cubs.com, Cubs, Padres don't mince words on collision Cubs.com, Montgomery aims to stay on attack vs. Friars Cubs.com, Zobrist has clean MRI, eyes return on Friday Cubs.com, Bryant, Heyward on All-Star track in update CSNChicago.com Ben Zobrist Sets Target Date For Return To Cubs Lineup After MRI On Wrist By Patrick Mooney An MRI on Ben Zobrist s sore left wrist revealed no structural damage, leaving the World Series MVP hopeful that he could be activated from the 10-day disabled list as soon as he s eligible on Friday and rejoin a Cubs lineup that misses his switch-hitting presence. But a more realistic scenario might be Zobrist taking a couple extra days to go on a rehab assignment and get some at-bats in the minors, possibly pushing his return date back to next week s showdown against the Washington Nationals in D.C. The Cubs are already being cautious with outfielder Jason Heyward (cut on his left hand) and shortstop Addison Russell (sore right ankle), holding two of their best defenders out of Monday night s game against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field, part of manager Joe Maddon s overall rest-and-recover philosophy for the defending champs. Truthfully, if we re playing in the playoffs, I m pretty certain they both would be playing tonight, Maddon said. This is a perfect example of why it s a good idea to give them that extra day if it s necessary. I anticipate but I m not 100-percent sure that they ll both be ready by tomorrow. Zobrist who s batting.223 and has been feeling something since an awkward swing in late May at Dodger Stadium plans to test his wrist on Wednesday and go from there. It just kind of depends on how it feels, Zobrist. I can t tell until I actually swing hard whether I ll be able to do it. Maddon who knows Zobrist so well after their time together with the Tampa Bay Rays pointed out how three days off in the middle of May to treat a back issue helped him raise his OPS 125 points to.822. And then Zobrist injured his wrist on his 36th birthday and watched his OPS drop more than 100 points down to.715. He was really hitting the ball off the screws a lot, Maddon said. Just keeping an eye on him moving forward, to really make sure that he s well and healthy and not fatigued. He s not 23 anymore, so I get that. But I always just listen to him, because I know it is unfiltered, in a good way.

3 CSNChicago.com 'It's Game On' Anthony Rizzo Won't Back Down After Padres Call Him Out For 'Cheap Shot' By Patrick Mooney If the Cubs wanted to send a message, this wouldn t be the team to target. The San Diego Padres are a largely unrecognizable group of cast-offs and unproven players, already 15 games under.500 and tanking for the future. This isn t the 2015 Cubs fighting to create their own identity and take down the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs are so far beyond destroying the Lovable Losers label or thinking that one play in a 3-2 win could somehow spark the defending World Series champs out of this blah start to a season that s almost halfway over. But in many ways, the Cubs take their cues from Anthony Rizzo, who knocked Padres catcher Austin Hedges out of Monday night s game at Wrigley Field and calmly fired back after manager Andy Green called the collision a cheap shot. By no means do I think that s a dirty play at all, Rizzo said. I ve talked to a lot of umpires about this rule. And my understanding is: If they have the ball, it s game on. Green vented his frustrations to San Diego reporters after watching the crash that ended the sixth inning, Rizzo tagging up from third base on the low line drive that Kris Bryant hit to ex-cub Matt Szczur in center field. Szczur caught the ball on the run and fired it in to Hedges, who grabbed it on the bounce, pivoted to his left and felt the full force of Rizzo (listed at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds). Hedges a promising catcher the Padres drafted during the Jed Hoyer/Jason McLeod administration tumbled backwards and held onto the ball for the double play that preserved a 2-1 lead before leaving with a bruised right thigh. I went pretty much straight in, Rizzo said. He caught the ball. He went towards the plate. It s a play where I m out by two steps. I slide, he runs into me. It s just one of those plays where it s unfortunate he had to exit. Rizzo who bombed with the Padres during his big-league debut in 2011 before becoming a star in Chicago essentially shrugged off Green s suggestion that Major League Baseball will have to impose some form of discipline. The league will look at it, Rizzo said. It s very sensitive because it doesn t happen (often). But from my understanding of the rules, it s a play at the plate. Manager Joe Maddon made Rizzo his leadoff hitter last week as a last resort, trying to spark a team that s now and only 1.5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. Rizzo reached base to lead off a game for the sixth straight time with a bunt up the third-base line against the defensive shift, notched an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the third inning and set the Hedges crash in motion with a leadoff triple into the right-field corner. A verified Twitter account for the Padres Radio Network posted a photo of the collision with this caption: Well #Padres fans, should the #Padres retaliate in this series for the slide by Rizzo? RT if you think yes, absolutely they should. Maddon an anti-rules guy in general has never been a fan of The Buster Posey Rule. You don t see it anymore, because the runner thinks he has to avoid it, Maddon said. He doesn t. If the guy s in the way, you re still able to hit him. I think we just retrained the mind so much right there that they look to miss (the catcher). I d much prefer what Rizz did tonight. And what he did was right, absolutely right, so there s nothing wrong with that. Nobody could tell me differently.

4 It s a good play. The catcher s in the way. You don t try to avoid him in an effort to score and hurt yourself. You hit him, just like Rizz did. The Cubs still managed only two runs in six-plus innings against Clayton Richard the lefty they acquired for a dollar from the Pittsburgh Pirates Triple-A affiliate in the middle of the 2015 season and designated for assignment last summer after hitting into double plays in the first, second and fifth innings. Javier Baez scored the go-ahead run from first base in the seventh inning when Jose Pirela misplayed Albert Almora Jr. s double in left field. Go Cubs Go played on the sound system only after bulletproof closer Wade Davis escaped a second-and-third, one-out jam in the ninth inning. But the lasting image will be Rizzo vs. Hedges. You know how Jon Lester will score it after his we re out there playing with a bunch of pansies rant following last month s loss at Busch Stadium. I was fired up I loved it, said Lester, who this time got the quality start no-decision. Obviously, you don t want to see anybody get hurt, but that s part of baseball. The slide into second I think that kind of came across as a little bit of an excuse in that game, just because we lost that game. And I think it looked bad as far as what we were saying about it. But that s baseball. That s the way the game s been played for a long, long time. He caught the ball. He protected the plate. And Rizz had nowhere to go. CSNChicago.com What Cubs Would Have To Give Up In Eloy Jimenez To Get A Frontline Pitcher By Patrick Mooney The KB shorthand for Eloy Jimenez is a reminder of what the Cubs would have to give up as a starting point in almost any negotiation for a frontline pitcher. After the Cubs made the blockbuster deal for Aroldis Chapman last summer, Jason McLeod dropped a Kris Bryant reference point on Jimenez, the other international prospect the New York Yankees scouted heavily before zeroing in on Gleyber Torres. The Yankees envisioned a higher floor and a more polished player in pinstripes, someone who could excel in the middle infield, get to The Show faster and potentially handle The Bronx by the age of 20. Until Monday s announcement that he would need Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, the New York media pushed Torres as a pennant-race replacement for struggling third baseman Chase Headley. Jimenez went viral that night with a clip that looked like something out of The Natural, crushing a ball toward the light tower beyond the left-field wall during the Carolina League Home Run Derby. In this business, we re always comparing guys that reminded you of someone, said McLeod the senior vice president who oversees scouting and player development on a Cubs Talk podcast while thinking back to Bryant s freshman year at the University of San Diego and how a future National League MVP struggled that summer in the Cape Cod League. I was just trying to look at who Kris became (after being) a kid we did scout in high school. He was on the radar and he was seen plenty. I was just looking at: OK, tall, big-framed, right-handed hitting 19-year-old, which is what Eloy was last year when he went out and had a really good year in (Class-A) South Bend. I was thinking about what I remembered from Kris when I saw him his freshman year in college and just making the comparisons. They re different types of swings. I know they re different body types understanding Kris was playing third and Eloy s out in the outfield. But I was making the comparison of two power-hitting right-handed 19-year-olds.

5 Kris is one who s a very intelligent hitter in the way he thinks about what he wants to do. He really doesn t seem to let much bother him. Eloy is similar in the way that he really understands his swing and what he s wanting to do. Now the execution isn t always there yet. But he s a very talented (player who) has tremendous upside. And I think a lot of it has to do with the way he thinks when he goes to the plate. With the draft ending last week, Theo Epstein s front office will shift focus toward the July 31 deadline and Jimenez will start popping up in more and more trade rumors. After giving up a possible franchise shortstop for a mercenary closer and a legitimate chance to end the 108- year drought it s hard to see the Cubs sacrificing Jimenez for a rental pitcher who might make 12 starts for a team that s still hovering around.500 in late June. It s even more complicated if the Cubs don t want to trade off their major-league roster and can t convince a rebuilding team that they have the pitching prospect to backfill a rotation spot. Jimenez made a great impression on Joe Maddon in spring training the Cubs manager compared him to a young Edgar Martinez or Miguel Cabrera before getting shut down with a sore right shoulder. So far, Jimenez has performed at advanced Class-A Myrtle Beach, putting up seven homers and a.927 OPS in 28 games and living up to the Baseball America preseason hype (No. 14 overall prospect). He s a kid that has the talent to be a legit, middle-of-the-order bat in the major leagues for a long time, McLeod. Leading up to a trade deadline that will be all about the pitching, the question for the Cubs becomes: Where? Chicago Tribune Anthony Rizzo's home-plate collision irks Padres in Cubs' 3-2 win By Mark Gonzales Anthony Rizzo continued to show the bat skills of a seasoned leadoff batter, but his ruggedness irked Padres manager Andy Green on Monday night. Rizzo collided with catcher Austin Hedges at home plate in an unsuccessful attempt to score the tying run from third base on a fly by Kris Bryant in the sixth inning, knocking Hedges from the game. The Cubs, led by Willson Contreras' tying homer in the seventh, went on to win 3-2, but Rizzo was left to defend himself after Green made a strong allegation to reporters. "It's a cheap shot," Green said. "I'm not saying (Rizzo) is a dirty player at all. Nobody is saying that. But he clearly deviated from the path to hit our catcher." Green said Rizzo committed a "pretty egregious violation of the rule" designed to protect catchers." When asked if he would seek some recourse from Major League Baseball, Green replied, "I'll let people above me handle that. But we don't feel good about the way that play transpired." Rizzo was aware that the Padres were upset before reporters asked him about the collision. "By no means do I think that was a dirty play at all," Rizzo said after former Cub Matt Szczur's assist from center field. "I went pretty much went straight in, (Hedges) caught the ball and went toward the plate. "I felt like I went in, I slid in there. It was a hard slide. They play this game hard for 162 games plus. Every day I pride myself on it. I run the bases hard, doing everything hard. I can't see that being dirty."

6 Rizzo said he's discussed this rule with several umpires. "My understanding is if they have the ball, it's game on." "I know it's very sensitive when there's a collision at the plate. By all means do I hope Hedges is all right. It's a play where I'm out by two steps. I slide, he runs into me. It's one of those plays it's unfortunate he exited." Cubs manager Joe Maddon, a former catcher, supported Rizzo. "I loved it," Maddon said. "That's part of the game. The catcher is in the way, you hit him. It's very simple." Hedges was diagnosed with a thigh bruise and left in the seventh, the inning when Contreras tied the score 2-2 against Clayton Richard. The Cubs scored the winning run after left fielder Jose Pirela bobbled a hit-and-run double by Albert Almora Jr. that enabled Javier Baez to score from first against reliever Kirby Yates. Wade Davis struck out Wil Myers and induced Hunter Renfroe to hit a grounder back to the mound with the tying and winning runs in scoring position to secure the win. Rizzo's collision took some of the focus away from his bunt single that marked the sixth consecutive game he's reached first safely. Rizzo drove in the Cubs' first run with a sacrifice fly, and he hit a triple that set up his collision. Contreras, meanwhile, hit a homer on the one-year anniversary of his first major league at-bat, which also was a home run. Contreras is 6-for-13 with four doubles and seven RBIs in his past four games. Chicago Tribune 2017 Cubs reminiscent of another of Theo Epstein's defending champs By Paul Sullivan Theo Epstein was a little perplexed. Many of the offseason moves he'd made to try to improve the world champions weren't working out, the pitching had regressed, the chemistry was being questioned, and they were barely over.500. What to do? Before a game at Wrigley Field, Epstein accepted the blame and hinted he was ready to start making moves. "If this is the best we can pitch, then we're obviously wrong about a number of things and we have to find a way to get better," he said. Epstein made that remark 12 years ago this month, when his defending champion Red Sox came to the North Side for their first meeting against the Cubs since the 1918 World Series. Time flies when you're the world's greatest leader (according to Fortune magazine). Now history seems to be repeating itself for Epstein, albeit with a different team, in a different town, and after vanquishing a different curse. Perhaps that's why he hasn't overreacted yet to the Cubs' flirtation with mediocrity, choosing to go with internal options rather than make a major deal to shake things up. Been there, done that. The 2017 Cubs have a lot in common with that Red Sox team, which had won it all for the first time in 86 yearsand began the season as a favorite to repeat. Coming off their '04 title, Epstein's '05 club had already endured a variety pack of troubles as the summer solstice approached. Not only had their pitchers struggled, but they seemed to dearly miss clubhouse veterans like Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe, Gabe Kapler and Dave Roberts.

7 Entering the much-hyped series at Wrigley, the Red Sox pitching staff was 12th in the American League and had a horrid 6.25 ERA over a stretch. Ace Curt Schilling, who was rehabbing his famous ankle, admitted the clubhouse chemistry was "different," which tends to happen when you replace a Pedro Martinez with a David Wells. But self-described "idiot" Johnny Damon responded to the debate, saying the chemistry was "great" and would remain so "until they decide they don't want knuckleheads in here anymore." Boston lost the first two games of the Cubs series, falling to and prompting mass hysteria across Red Sox Nation. Epstein, then a 31-year-old general manager, said they were fortunate to be close to the top of the division, calling it a "very fixable situation." "If we start playing up to our capabilities, we'll be back up on top of the standings pretty quick," he said. The Red Sox won the series finale, beginning a 12-1 stretch that vaulted them into first place in the AL East. They wound up winning 95 games and tied for first-place with the Yankees, who won the tiebreaker. The Red Sox were thus relegated to a wild-card spot, and were swept by the eventual champion White Sox in the AL Division Series. When I asked Epstein in spring training what lessons he learned from 2005, he said: "The biggest takeaway is not to make any assumptions. Players do get pulled off in different directions in the winter following winning, and you can't assume that just because it's the same group of guys they'll come together in the same way." That's exactly what has happened. Like that '05 Red Sox team, the 2017 Cubs have been treading water all season and telling everyone not to panic. Yet the starting pitching was seventh in the National League on Monday, the hitting was ahead of only the Padres, and the fielding ranked 12th. The chemistry is also different after losing David Ross and Dexter Fowler. Still, they remain close to the first-place Brewers, who are in the midst of a rebuild, and the Cubs appear ready to take off and go on a long win streak after every victory. Beating the Pirates on Sunday led to more questions Monday about the possibility of getting hot. "If after every game we win, you guys are going to ask me if we're going to take off, I've got to start giving you generic answers," Anthony Rizzo said before Monday's game against the Padres. Generic answers. Generic season. Of course, few believe the Brewers won't eventually be caught by the Cubs. Kris Bryant insisted being in a tight race "kind of makes it more fun" for the players. "Obviously it would be nice to run away with the division, but it's important to go through times like this because you learn from it, you grow from it, get stronger," he said. "This is all good for us." So look for Epstein to stay the course, though a few more knuckleheads probably wouldn't hurt. Chicago Tribune Cubs prospect report: Catcher Victor Caratini presents intriguing options By Mark Gonzales With the amateur draft completed, Cubs officials can focus on which prospects they would be willing to part with to land young, major-league-ready starting pitching. There remains a reservoir of talent to deal despite the trade of Gleyber Torres last summer. At the major-league level, Javier Baez remains too valuable to deal, at least until Major League Baseball's probe into domestic-abuse allegations against Addison Russell are resolved.

8 One interesting development at Triple-A Iowa could benefit the Cubs and other teams willing to trade young pitching. Victor Caratini lends value, and not just because of his.341 batting average and 48 RBIs. Caratini is a switch-hitting catcher who also can play first base. He was one of several minor-league players who impressed manager Joe Maddon in spring training. But there might not be a spot for Caratini with the Cubs in They are committed to Willson Contreras, 25, as their catcher of the future. It's not certain whether Miguel Montero, 33, will return in the same backup role as this season. And Kyle Schwarber's left knee might return to full strength by 2018 to the point he could catch more frequently. Caratini is only 23, so having him serve as a major-league backup in 2018 could stunt his development as a potential everyday player. Jacob Hannemann, OF, Triple-A Iowa A change of scenery has done wonders for Hannemann, who moved up to Iowa despite batting only.180 in 122 atbats at Double-A Tennessee. He has taken advantage of his opportunity by batting.333 with seven stolen bases in 14 games. Eloy Jimenez, OF, Class A Myrtle Beach The Cubs' top prospect homered Sunday against Down East to extend his hitting streak to five games. Jimenez, who missed the first six weeks because of a right shoulder injury, is batting.278 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. James Pugliese, RHP, Double-A Tennessee Pugliese was added to the North Division roster for the Southern League All-Star Game. He hasn't allowed an earned run in 10 of his last 11 appearances and has an 0.91 ERA in 20 games. Isaac Paredes, SS, Class A South Bend The 18-year-old Mexican native has raised his average from.232 on May 27 to.262. Paredes has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games, batting.366 during that span. Chicago Tribune Mike Montgomery, Eddie Butler anxious to stabilize starting spots By Mark Gonzales The Cubs next two games could provide a better measuring stick of how long left-hander Mike Montgomery and right-hander Eddie Butler can remain starting candidates on a long-term basis. Montgomery will take the mound Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres with an extra day of rest and a better idea of preparing as he makes his third start in place of injured Kyle Hendricks. I think the last game was at that point where I realize as much as you want to prepare, that s what spring training is for as a starter, said Montgomery, who threw 88 pitches in five innings Wednesday at New York but was victimized by shoddy defense. Once you get to the 70 mark to even the 100-pitch mark, even if you ve been throwing multiple innings out of the pen, that level of extension takes some time of adjusting legs. The first thing that goes are the legs.

9 My arm is fine. But you don t have the same power in your legs, and then everything else goes. I also made my first start (against the Colorado Rockies on June 9) on short rest. But having that extra day off (on Thursday) helped. I feel strong. Montgomery started seven games for the Cubs in the second half of 2016 but started 2017 in the bullpen, where he made 18 appearances. Butler was one out away from pitching six innings for the second time in seven starts last Friday at Pittsburgh, but he admitted he was fatigued after walking David Freese and getting pulled after Josh Bell allowed an RBI single. We re close, and Mike and I are doing everything we can to hold it down and fit where we are now, said Butler, who will face the Padres on Wednesday. That s half the battle, getting a chance. I ll try to make the most of the opportunity, and that s what we re here doing. We re built up and ready to tackle six to eight innings and 110 pitches. When we can do that, it s going to save our bullpen and put us in a great position to win. Chicago Tribune Cubs taking it slow with injuries to trustworthy Ben Zobrist, others By Mark Gonzales Since becoming a major-league manager, Joe Maddon has learned to listen to "The Mind of Zo," as he describes the candidness of Cubs veteran Ben Zobrist. "He's going to be very direct," Maddon said of Zobrist, who hopes to return Friday from the disabled list. "He has no other method. It's the most unfiltered mind in history. So listen to him, and he'll tell you exactly what he needs and that's what you do." Zobrist, who also played for Maddon with the Rays, said he will test his left wrist with some hard swings on Wednesday and then determine if he'll be able to rejoin the team in Miami or perhaps need a brief minor-league rehabilitation assignment. "I can't tell until I actually swing hard whether I'll be able to do it," said Zobrist, who was 5-for-49 while trying to play through the pain for 2 1/2 weeks. "We're not going to push it at this point." Zobrist underwent an MRI Monday that showed no abnormalities. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI Friday at Pittsburgh, but it "was a very small tube I couldn't fit in," Zobrist said. Rest, not rush: Maddon said that shortstop Addison Russell and right fielder Jason Heyward likely would have started Monday night if it were a playoff game. But Maddon elected to give another day of rest to Russell, who turned his left ankle while rounding second base Saturday, and Heyward, who scraped his left hand Sunday. "My ankle dug in the dirt, but I'm doing everything and it feels good," Russell said. "Hopefully I'll be in the lineup Tuesday." Extra innings: Maddon wore gray shoes Monday night as part of what he described as the Cubs' "20-game trip," a stretch of 17 road dates in 20 games that is interrupted by this three-game home series against the Padres. "I didn't unpack my bag," third baseman Kris Bryant said. "I figure I'll just wear the same clothes I wore on the last road trip."... Bryant and Heyward are among the leaders in the latest voting for the National League All-Star team.

10 Chicago Sun-Times Rizzo fuels Cubs win over Padres, who take exception after 3-2 loss By Jeff Arnold Anthony Rizzo can t predict how long he ll remain in the leadoff spot. But one thing is certain: He s going to milk it for everything it s worth. And as long as Rizzo stays hot, there s no telling if or when things will change. Rizzo stayed perfect in first-inning plate appearances as a leadoff man Monday night in the Cubs 3-2 victory against the Padres at Wrigley Field. His bunt single extended his string of consecutive games getting on base leading off the first inning to six the fifth Cub to do so since 1946 while pushing his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games. Last season, Dexter Fowler matched the feat, which is one game short of Richie Ashburn s mark. He reached safely in seven consecutive games for the Cubs in But Rizzo s impact extends way beyond a leadoff bunt. He has definitely set the tone for our entire team, manager Joe Maddon said. After hitting a triple leading off the sixth inning with the Cubs trailing 2-1, Rizzo tried to score on Kris Bryant s low liner to center. He was beaten by a pinpoint throw from former teammate Matt Szczur but barreled through catcher Austin Hedges, who was forced to leave the game with a bruised right thigh. Padres manager Andy Green said Hedges won t play Tuesday and could be out longer. Maddon said he loved the play. Green called the collision a fairly egregious violation of a rule designed to protect catchers. He claimed the umpires did nothing to protect Hedges and took umbrage with Rizzo s actions. Green will allow people above me, possibly contacting Major League Baseball officials, to review a play he doesn t feel good about. It s a cheap shot, Green said. I m not saying [Rizzo] is a dirty player at all nobody is saying that but he clearly deviated from his path to hit our catcher. He took our catcher out. While saying he doesn t want to see anyone hurt, Rizzo took exception to Green s characterization, citing conversations he has had with umpires about a baserunner s rights. My understanding is if [the catcher] has the ball, it s game on, said Rizzo, who went 2-for-3. I don t, by no means, think that s a dirty play at all.... It was a hard slide. I play this game hard. For 162 gamesplus, I pride myself on running the bases hard, doing everything hard. So I can t see that being dirty. Cubs starter Jon Lester, who allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, agreed. That s part of baseball, Lester said. That s the way the game has been played for a long, long time, and I love seeing it. Maddon has seen other benefits to Rizzo s production since he was moved up in the order. The move has boosted the morale of a clubhouse that Maddon acknowledged can change when guys become quiet. Rizzo has kept things lively.

11 He s going to be even more effervescent based on how well he s been playing, Maddon said. I hear it in the dugout. He s loving it, and we all are because it s definitely made a difference. Chicago Sun-Times Zobrist s MRI comes back clean; Friday is the target for return By Jeff Arnold Manager Joe Maddon has learned from experience that when veteran Ben Zobrist speaks, it s in his best interest to listen. So when Zobrist predicted he likely would need only a week to recover from soreness in his left wrist that landed him on the 10-day disabled list Friday, Maddon took him at his word. And after the results of an MRI exam came back clean Monday, Zobrist s timing appears to be spot-on. Zobrist, who has been bothered by the wrist since injuring it on a swing May 26, said he will test the wrist Wednesday and is looking to return Friday. It just depends on how it feels, Zobrist said before the Cubs game Monday against the Padres at Wrigley Field. The thing is, I can t tell until I actually swing hard whether we re going to be able to do it. We re not going to push it. If Zobrist doesn t return Friday against the Marlins in Miami, he said he likely will go to the minors for a day or so to get some at-bats before returning Monday against the Nationals in Washington. Maddon said he will rely on Zobrist s judgment, knowing Zobrist will provide him with an honest assessment of how he s feeling. It s all what he needs, Maddon said. The mind of Zo, you just listen to it. He s going to be very direct and honest. He has no other method. It s unfiltered. It s the most unfiltered mind in history. So listen to him, and he ll tell you what he needs. And that s what you do. Heyward, Russell on track Shortstop Addison Russell and right fielder Jason Heyward were out of the starting lineup in the series opener against the Padres because of minor injuries. Russell turned his right ankle while running the bases Saturday against the Pirates and sat out Sunday. Heyward scraped his left hand on the gravel warning track while trying to make a sliding catch in foul territory Sunday against the Pirates. Javy Baez started at short and Jon Jay in right. Russell, who entered the game at short on a double-switch in the seventh inning, said before the game that he was ready to return. I m walking on it fine, he said. I m doing everything I would normally do if my ankle didn t get hurt. It s doing good now. Short stay After returning home from a six-game trip, the Cubs stay in town will last only three days before they begin a three-city trip Thursday against the Marlins. Third baseman Kris Bryant called the scheduling weird and said he won t allow himself to get too comfortable.

12 I m not even going to unpack my bag, Bryant said. I m just going to wear the same clothes I wore on the last road trip. Chicago Sun-Times You can make persuasive case for Kris Bryant to start All-Star Game By John Grochowski Even as the Cubs struggle at near.500, their fans are partying at the ballot box almost like it s In an update released Monday and with National League All-Star voting scheduled to close June 29, Kris Bryant is leading at third base, Jason Heyward is clinging to the third outfield spot and Cubs are running second or third at the other positions. If you re going to base your vote strictly on 2017 performance, then no Cub is a by-the-numbers leader. The closest is Bryant, whose 2.4 fwar at Fangraphs.com is in the same ballpark as the Rockies Nolan Arenado and the Dodgers Justin Turner (both 2.7) and the Nationals Anthony Rendon (2.6). At Baseball-Reference.com, which puts more emphasis on defense in its bwar calculation, Arenado is the easy leader at 3.2, leading Turner and Rendon at 2.7. Bryant is sixth at 2.1. For Rockies fans, seeing Bryant lead the All-Star voting is a rerun of the 2016 NL most valuable player vote. Irate Coloradans took to Twitter and message boards to wonder how Arenado could win the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards yet finish fifth in an MVP vote won by a player at his own position. There s more than metrics to the baseball writers votes last year and to the fans ballots in 2017, but there is a metric case to be built for Bryant. By traditional numbers (through Sunday), Arenado is the clear leader. Bryant s.264 batting average with 15 home runs and 28 RBI lag behind Arenado s.299 average, 15 homers and 55 RBI. Bryant narrows the difference with a league-leading 47 walks to Arenado s 22. That means that despite Arenado s edge in batting average, Bryant has a edge in on-base percentage. That leaves a small gap in OPS, with Arenado leading RBI aren t factored into advanced metrics because they are strongly affected by teammates performance and batting-order position. With both more than capable of driving in a runner from first with an extra-base hit, Arenado has batted with 184 runners on base to Bryant s 146. The elephant in the room or is it an Apatosaurus? is park effects. The Rockies and their opponents have combined to score runs per game in Coors Field against 8.37 runs in other parks. The Cubs and their opponents have combined to score 9.49 per game in Wrigley Field and 9.42 in other parks. Each run scored is a smaller percentage of the total needed to win in Coors than in other parks. That s accounted for in park-adjusted stats. By OPS+, Bryant takes a lead. By Fangraphs offensive runs above average, Bryant leads Baseball-Reference shows offensive WAR at Bryant 2.4 and Arenado 1.7. There are similarities to last season, when Arenado s.294 batting average, 41 homers and 133 RBI were more than a match for Bryant s.292/39/102. But with park effects, Bryant led the NL with a 7.7 bwar and 8.4 fwar; Arenado was at 6.6 and 5.5. Arenado is a fantastic player having a terrific season. But any by-the-numbers comparison that involves a Rockies player must include park effects, and that tightens a Bryant-Arenado race.

13 Daily Herald Will Rizzo in leadoff spot help Chicago Cubs rise above mediocrity? By Bruce Miles Maybe the insertion of Anthony Rizzo into the leadoff spot will help jump-start the Chicago Cubs. Manager Joe Maddon has tried just about everything to get his defending world champions to rise above the mediocrity they've achieved. That mediocrity has created a totally different vibe from the electric current running through the clubhouse a year ago. Rizzo did his part in Monday night's 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field. He hit a bunt single to start the game, hit a sacrifice fly in the third and tripled to lead off the sixth, even though the Cubs failed to score in that inning. Rizzo was thrown out at the plate by former teammate Matt Szczur as he tried to score on a fly to center by Kris Bryant. Rizzo crashed into catcher Austin Hedges, knocking Hedges from the game with a bruised thigh but earning praise from everybody on the Cubs. "Oh, my God," said manager Joe Maddon, whose team improved to "His at-bats, the triple, the play at the plate, his defense, everything he's doing. He's not the fastest guy out there, but he's one of the best baserunners out there. He's definitely set the tone for our entire team, actually." The play at the plate drew the ire of Padres manager Andy Green, even though Rizzo had nowhere to go but to run into the catcher, making the play legal. "I think you look at that play, and it's a fairly egregious violation of the rule," Green said. "The rule exists to protect that catcher I think it's a cheap shot. I'm not saying he's a dirty player at all. No one is saying that. He clearly deviated from his path to hit our catcher and took our catcher out." Not according to the Cubs. "I loved it," said pitcher Jon Lester, who worked 6 innings of 5-hit, 2-run ball. "That's part of baseball." Rizzo wasn't buying Green's after-the-fact complaint. "For a hard play, no," he said. "By no means do I think that's a dirty play at all. I went pretty much straight in. He caught the ball toward the plate. I slid in there. It was a hard slide. I play this game hard for 162 games-plus. I pride myself on it." The Cubs erased a 2-1 deficit in the seventh against Clayton Richard and the Padres' bullpen by scoring twice. Willson Contreras led off with a home run, and the Cubs went ahead later on a double by Albert Almora Jr. and a fielding error by left fielder Jose Pirela that allowed Javier Baez to score from first base. The Cubs have been trying to recreate a vibe from last year that so far hasn't existed this season. "A lot different than last year, a completely different dynamic," third baseman Kris Bryant said. "But I think we're all pretty confident we can get this done. "I felt like everything was going right for us last year. I'm just comparing to last year. Even the year before that, it just kind of felt like everyone was hitting, more guys on base, obviously more runs. It was a pretty easy environment.

14 "But now with some struggles and Kyle (pitcher and ERA champion Hendricks) getting hurt, he was a such a huge part of last year. Just new faces and getting to know each other and hopefully this next half it'll be hopefully a little like last year." Daily Herald Chicago Cubs closer to some healthy returns By Bruce Miles The Chicago Cubs' injury situation appears to be getting better by increments. Shortstop Addison Russell (ankle) and right fielder Jason Heyward (hand) could be ready to play Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres. Infielder-outfielder Ben Zobrist is aiming for Friday in Miami after an MRI showed no structural damage to his left wrist, which has been bothering him since late May. Russell and Heyward injured themselves over the weekend in Pittsburgh, and manager Joe Maddon wanted to give each an extra day. "Truthfully, if we're playing in the playoffs, I'm pretty certain they'd both be playing tonight," Maddon said Monday. "Trying to keep with the mantra regarding their rest. This is perfect example of why it's good to give them that extra day if it's necessary." Zobrist underwent an MRI Monday morning. "I'll probably see how it feels on Wednesday," he said. "I've just been not swinging at all the last few days, just trying to let it heal. Wednesday test it out and go from there to see whether I'll be ready on Friday or if we push it back a few days. It just depends on how it feels." If Zobrist is not ready to return Friday, it's possible he could go out on a short minor-league rehab assignment. "I can't tell unless I actually swing hard whether I'll be able to do it," he said. "We're not going to push it at this point because Friday is the target. If we end up pushing it back a couple days just to make for sure it's good, then it will probably be either over the weekend or Monday." An oasis in the desert: The Cubs are making a brief stop at home after the New York-Pittsburgh trip. After they play three at Wrigley Field against the Padres, they'll head out for four games at Miami, four at Washington and three at Cincinnati. "Really weird," third baseman Kris Bryant said. "I didn't unpack my bag. I'll just wear the same clothes I wore on the last road trip." Joe Maddon began his pregame media session by calling the series "part of the 20-day road trip." First baseman Anthony Rizzo also was asked about the scheduling. "I have a feeling that a veteran baseball player made that schedule this year," he said. "(Someone) who really knows the ins and out of the game, probably sat down and looked at it and said this was a good idea. I'm completely joking about that. It is what it is. Teams go through stretches of weird scheduling, and this is no different." Liking the leading man:

15 Anthony Rizzo led off for the Cubs with a bunt single Monday before hitting a sacrifice fly in the third inning and legging out a triple in the sixth. He entered the game 9-for-22 (.409) as the leadoff hitter with an on-base percentage of.458 since being put into that spot last week. The Cubs are having fun with the concept. "I think he called himself the greatest leadoff hitter of all time," Ben Zobrist said. "I guess if you take the numbers out over several years maybe, but he's done a great job the first few days. Might as well keep him there while he's hot." Cubs.com Cubs rally past Padres with HR, E in key 7th By Carrie Muskat and AJ Cassavell CHICAGO Willson Contreras belted a tying home run leading off the seventh and Javier Baez scored the go-ahead run on an error by Padres left fielder Jose Pirela to lift the Cubs to a 3-2 victory on Monday night. There may be some bad feelings between the two teams after a play in the sixth when Anthony Rizzo collided with Padres catcher Austin Hedges at the plate. Rizzo was trying to score from third on a fly ball by Kris Bryant to center but Matt Szczur made a perfect throw home. Hedges had to leave the game with a bruised right thigh. Afterward, Padres manager Andy Green was none too pleased with what he considered "a cheap shot" on his starting catcher. "For me, the whole point of the rule is to protect my catcher, not to necessarily get a call right on safe or out," Green said. "When Austin Hedges' health is put in jeopardy because someone took a shot at him when he's not expecting it at all, that's a problem." The Cubs had a different view. "By no means do I think that's a dirty play at all," Rizzo said. "I went pretty much straight in. He caught the ball and went towards the plate. It was a hard slide. I play this game hard for 162 games plus every day. I pride myself on it, running the bases hard, doing everything hard. I can't see that being dirty." Padres starter Clayton Richard will get his World Series ring on Tuesday from his former team, but he couldn't get the win. He served up Contreras' homer in the seventh, which tied the score at 2. One out later, Richard was replaced by Kirby Yates, and Baez greeted him with a single. Albert Almora Jr. then doubled to left and Pirela bobbled the ball for an error, allowing Baez to score. It was a great way for Contreras to commemorate the oneyear anniversary of his first hit: On June 19, 2016, he homered in his first MLB at-bat in the sixth inning. "The sky's the limit for this kid," Cubs starter Jon Lester said. "He's stuck with me and I'm stuck with him for the next three or four years, so hopefully he keeps getting better." Lester gave up solo home runs to Pirela, who led off the game with a blast on the lefty's third pitch, and to Yangervis Solarte in the third. Lester threw 71 pitches over three innings, and exited after 111 pitches over six. "There's a lot of power in that lineup, but there's a lot of swings and misses as well," Lester said of the Padres. "You've got to try to make good pitches that aren't cookies for them. That's what makes it hard you make your pitch and it gets fouled off." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Leadoff man: With the Padres employing a defensive shift, Rizzo laid down a perfect bunt along the third-base line to lead off the Cubs' first. The single extended Rizzo's hitting streak to a career-high 13 games, and also maintained his perfect streak leading off games. In the six games he's been in the No. 1 spot, Rizzo has yet to make an out leading off the first. So far, he's hit two homers, a double, two singles and drawn a walk. Rizzo delivered a sacrifice fly in the third on Monday.

16 "It's working," Rizzo said. "I want to keep everyone loose. Starting the game with a bunt, it's not your prototypical leadoff for the game. We just need to win games. We need to keep trying to claw away and find ways to win." Rizzo is the fifth Cubs player to reach base to lead off a game in six straight games since 1946 and first to do so since Dexter Fowler in According to Elias, among players to debut in the expansion era (1961-present), Rizzo is the only player to reach in his first plate appearance in each of the first six games that he started in the leadoff spot. "His at-bats, the triple, the play at the plate, his defense everything he's doing, he's outstanding," manager Joe Maddon said. "He's definitely set the tone for our entire team." Big moment: With one out in the ninth, Cubs closer Wade Davis hit Pirela and then walked Solarte. Both moved up on a wild pitch. But Davis was able to strike out Wil Myers which Maddon felt was the biggest at-bat of the game and then Hunter Renfroe grounded out to end the game. Davis has converted his last 14 save opportunities, the longest streak in Cubs history to begin a season since the save was adopted in "I knew [Davis] could do what he did against [Myers] if he got ahead in the count," Maddon said. It was the first showdown between Myers and Davis, who were a part of the December 2012 blockbuster trade that sent Myers to the Rays and Davis and James Shields to the Royals. Davis won the battle, punctuating the atbat with a high fastball. "Wade Davis is one of the best," Green said. "... He executed that pitch, and we chased." SOL POWER Solarte has been on a tear at the plate, but he had done almost all of his damage from the left side. Not on Monday. Solarte's third-inning homer off Lester was his first extra-base hit of the season swinging right-handed. (He has 18 from the left side). Later, Solarte doubled off Lester, going 2-for-4 and extending his on-base streak to 12 games. INJURY UPDATE Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber exited after six innings because of swelling on his right ankle. He fouled a ball off the ankle in the fourth inning. X-rays were negative. WHAT'S NEXT Padres: Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin's home/road splits are some of the starkest in baseball. He has posted a 1.72 ERA at Petco Park, compared with a mark on the road. On Tuesday, he'll face the Cubs at 5:05 p.m. PT in his first start away from San Diego this month. Cubs: Left-hander Mike Montgomery will make his third start of the season on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. CT, as he continues to sub for Kyle Hendricks. In his last start against the Mets, Montgomery gave up three runs over five innings. He owns a 3.51 ERA in seven career starts with the Cubs. Cubs.com Contreras celebrates with anniversary homer By Scott Chasen CHICAGO Willson Contreras called his shot. Well, sort of. Some five-and-a-half hours before the Cubs took the field for their 3-2 win over the Padres on Monday night, the Cubs' catcher tweeted out a video of his first career at-bat a two-run homer against the Pirates.

17 "1 year ago," it read. "Thanks Chicago." Perhaps it was only fitting then that on the anniversary of that game, Contreras smashed an opposite-field solo jack as part of a go-ahead two-run seventh. Contreras hopped down the line to first after connecting with the ball, pounding his chest as he rounded first and clapping his hands together in excitement as he neared third. According to Statcast, the homer traveled a projected 401 feet with an exit velocity of mph. It was Contreras' sixth homer of the season and his first since May 28. "He looks like he looked when he first came up last year," manager Joe Maddon said of Contreras, who made his Major League debut on June 17, "Maybe this is the time of the year he heats up with the bat." Still, while the home run was the highlight of Contreras' game, it wasn't where his impact stopped. For starters, there was another play in the seventh where Contreras made a perfect throw to shortstop Addison Russell to nab Matt Szczur attempting to steal second. There was also his job behind the plate, where Maddon credited Contreras with keeping several pitches in the dirt in front of him, while starter Jon Lester noted Contreras' impressive ability to retain information and master scouting reports at such a young age. "His growth from getting thrown into the fire last year of the best team in baseball to now being the starting catcher for us, for the defending [World Series] champions, that's a lot of responsibility," Lester said. And even on a day when Contreras went 1-for-4, there was no shortage of praise coming from his manager, even when he made an out. With Padres right-hander Phil Maton on in the eighth and two out, Contreras got a 2-2 fastball in the top of the zone. Contreras smoked a grounder back to second with a 105 mph exit velocity, according to Statcast, but it was the type of play Maddon wanted to see. "He's been swinging underneath and through that pitch. He got on top of that, hit it hard at the second baseman," Maddon said. "To me, I love that at-bat, too." Cubs.com Cubs, Padres don't mince words on collision By AJ Cassavell SAN DIEGO When Anthony Rizzo barreled into Padres catcher Austin Hedges during Monday night's 3-2 Cubs victory, Hedges who went flying through the air held onto the baseball, and Rizzo was ruled out. That much was instantly clear. The Cubs ended up with a comeback win with help from a homer by Willson Contreras on the one-year anniversary of his first Major League hit. But about that play... Was it "a cheap shot" or "a hard slide?" Well, that depends on who you ask. Hours after Rizzo's sixth-inning slide knocked Hedges from the game with a bruised right thigh, the two clubs had differing views on the collision at the plate.