Chicago Cubs Injury News: Javier Baez will miss extended time

Chicago Cubs slugger Javier Baez will be out an estimated 4-8 weeks with a fractured finger suffered while sliding on a steal attempt for Iowa in a Triple-A game on Sunday. 

The injury comes at a time where the young star was beginning his ascent back to the big league club. Baez, who is hitting a solid .314 with eight homers in limited work in Iowa had recently shifted defensively to play third base. The move was believed to be a stepping stone for his return to Chicago.

According to MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat, an injury of this kind usually falls in the 4-8 week time frame but Baez will be re-evaluated later in the week.

This hasn’t been an easy year for Baez so far. After falling out of favor in spring training and being left off the opening day roster, Baez took an extended period of time off following the death of his sister. Despite the personal frustrations, the Cubs’ 2011 top pick was having a resurgence in the minors.

With the news of Baez coming out now, the Cubs may need to look at alternative solutions in order to bolster the lineup. The Cubs have had issues scoring runs consistently so far which has led to speculation that the young core players might be feeling affects of fatigue for their lack of experience. The return of Javier Baez would have provided the team with another home-grown weapon who could help the team if they remain in contention in the next two months.

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Baez made his major league debut last year and provided fireworks early. Fans flocked to watch his towering homers but as the season wore on, teams began to make adjustments and Baez struggled down the stretch. By season’s end, Baez was more recognized for the number of strikeouts he had rather than his power and defensive skill.

If the Cubs are still in the playoff hunt when Baez is re-activated, it shouldn’t be long before the slugger makes his appearance in Chicago.

Next: What options do the Cubs have for the bullpen?