Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant out of action again Friday; is it time to worry?

For days, the Chicago Cubs maintained the status quo on Kris Bryant. But with him out of action again on Friday, is it time to start worrying about his health?

Since being hit by a pitch last weekend in Colorado, Chicago Cubs third baseman is yet to see game action. It seemed too good to be true when he passed all concussion protocol testing after taking a 96 MPH fastball to the head. Nearly a week later, now, that seems to be the case.

We all know it. Head injuries can ruin a guy’s career. Now, it’s far too soon to even go down that road with Bryant. He hasn’t even returned to action yet, so the impact of the injury can’t possibly be determined. Of course, the Cubs are taking every precaution with their former MVP third baseman – but explanations have been few and far between.

"“I’m listening to what his needs are right now,” Joe Maddon said Thursday. “I’m making sure that the medical procedures are being followed so that we do everything right. … It’s early. I really feel strongly that he’s going to be fine but I don’t want to push it.”"

Would another five days of rest be a bad thing?

I accept this explanation in its entirety. It’s April, not September. There’s no reason to rush him back. But could the team take it a step further and just go for the 10-day DL. We’re already halfway through what that may have been – and he’s yet to see a game.

Even if he’s feeling better, it’s hard to say a 10-day stint isn’t a good idea. I understand needing him back for this weekend series with Milwaukee, but the risks far outweigh the benefits.

According to Sahadev Sharma, KB took part in full baseball activities on Thursday and had no side effects whatsoever. The plan, at least at this point, is for Bryant to be back on the field Saturday against the Brewers.

Next: Pump the brakes on all the Machado talks

Since losing their slugger, Chicago is 3-1 (including the game he was hit in Sunday). So, maybe it’s an overreaction. Tommy La Stella and David Bote have held down the hot corner in his absence. Even with Ben Zobrist sidelined on the DL, the Cubs have weathered the storm.

Maybe I’m making something of nothing. But with the Cubs winning without him, giving him another week to recover and get back out at 100 percent hardly seems like a bad idea.