Chicago Cubs: Is it time to place Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list?

Knowing he’s playing through a knee issue, the Chicago Cubs need to think long-term and give Kris Bryant some time to get back to 100 percent on the IL.

After placing both Willson Contreras and Craig Kimbrel on the 10-day injured list Monday, the Chicago Cubs should be taking a long, hard look in the mirror when it comes to the IL and its usage.

For some time, fans and pundits have criticized how the team uses (or doesn’t use) the injured list. The latest issue drawing fire? Kris Bryant reportedly playing through some type of knee issue. The former NL MVP left the Cubs’ June 24 game early after tweaking it – and hasn’t been the same since.

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On Sunday, Chicago skipper Joe Maddon briefly commented on the status of his superstar after giving him the day off in the series finale against the rival Milwaukee Brewers.

"“He’s got a little bit of, like, a knee thing going on that I’m just being aware of,” Maddon said. “He’s fine. Playoffs? Yeah, he’s playing today. But I’m watching him and I’m talking to him, and I thought it would be the perfect day to give to him today.”"

Looking at his 2019 performance on the whole, the three-time All-Star is still enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. He boasts a .916 OPS with a 134 OPS+. Bryant has struggled a bit with runners in scoring position, but there’s no debating how valuable he is in the heart of the order.

Over the course of the last seven games, Bryant is slashing a horrendous .150/.150/.150. In those 20 at-bats, he’s struck out six times (30 percent K-rate), has not drawn a single walk and has three hits – all singles.

So why does Maddon keep trotting out a less-than-100 percent KB? It’s not like there aren’t other guys who can hold things down for, at the very least, a few days. Chicago has Tony Kemp, David Bote and Ian Happ on the big league roster – and if they really got desperate, Nicholas Castellanos may be able to see some reps there, as well.

What I’m saying is pretty simple. If you’re willing to give Craig Kimbrel a blow for 10 days with a trip to the IL, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be willing to do the same for arguably the most talented player on your ballclub.

Obviously we don’t want to lose Bryant, even when he’s struggling. But if letting him rest now gets him ready for the stretch run, this sure seems like a no-brainer. The Cubs don’t need their star limping to the finish line like he did last year. They need him deepening the lineup and making pitchers pay by punishing mistakes.