Chicago Cubs: Where does the team go from here?

The Chicago Cubs Javier Baez is lost for September at least. His backup Addison Russell took a pitch to the face, and Kris Bryant got a cortisone shot in his knee. Not to mention Craig Kimbrel is on the IL. Where does the team go from here?

The Chicago Cubs had just lost the last three of the four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. They found out they lost Javier Baez for at least the month of September, and the in the final game of the series they lost their backup Addison Russell to a nasal contusion. Kris Bryant was scratched from the lineup for his ailing knee that required a cortisone shot.

Injuries seem to be happening at the worst time for the Cubs. Craig Kimbrel is on the IL with elbow inflammation, but he threw on flat ground on Sunday–the first he’s thrown since he’s been on the IL. Russell was under concussion protocol and should be considered day-to-day.

The concern is with Baez who’s going to miss at least a month with his hairline fracture in his left thumb. And Bryant who has had an ailing knee for quite some time. Baez is slashing .281/.316/.532 with a .848 OPS with 29 home runs and 85 RBI with a 4.8 WAR. Bryant has similar numbers with a line of .279/.379/.510 with a .889 OPS with 26 home runs and 64 RBI with a 3.3 WAR.

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But Bryant is struggling as of late. In his last 16 games, he’s hit just .200 with one home run and three RBI. If there were only someplace to go to rest his knee and allow someone to come up and replace him? Hmm…

On top of that, Kimbrel has just now thrown from flat ground, and Russell took a pitch to the face. When it rains, it pours. David Bote filled in for Russell when he left the game, but he’s not a shortstop by trade. He was forced into it, but he’s more comfortable playing third and second base. However, Bote would be an excellent fill-in for Bryant. In his last five games, he’s hit .429 with a home run and five walks and five runs scored.

Look, KB isn’t useful if he’s hurt. Rest him, play Bote in his place and hope he can heal well enough to give two good weeks. We’re already without Baez for the month, possibly longer. We need to get Bryant healthy for the stretch run.

So what to do about the shortstop position? Well, they called up Nico Hoerner, taken just last year in the first round (24th pick) of the draft. The Cubs have had success drafting college hitters, and Hoerner doesn’t fall short of that.

He had the best camp for a player that wasn’t invited to camp (h/t Len Kasper) and might’ve been a September call-up if not for injuries. But he was forced into action, and he made an impression in his first game. Hoerner was 3-for-5 with a triple and four RBI. He played solid in the field and had the fans at Petco Park (mostly Chicago Cubs’ fans) chanting ‘Nico’ in his last at-bat.

Hopefully, Kimbrel will be back on schedule. Bryant should get a little more time off, and Hoerner can stay hot for five weeks. That should run through the postseason. So where do we go from here? The postseason. If Joe Maddon‘s going to be done, I’d like to see him make the playoffs every year. If he’s a lame duck, but he makes the playoffs every year? It’s a proper send-off for him.