Cubs News: Considering options to replace an injured Kris Bryant

Chicago Cubs: What’s really going on with Bryant?

Back to Bryant though, this injury brings up a couple questions and shines the spotlight on some issues. Number one being that the Cubs haven’t exactly used the IL to their advantage with Bryant or others over the past couple years, as they’ve let guys linger on the bench to try and rest when they probably should have just been put on the IL earlier so as to allow another man to fill that lost spot.

Another issue is that some of these minor issues seem to be lingering for Cubs players, specifically Bryant. For whatever reason, Bryant seems to have the luck of Wile E. Coyote the last several seasons, dealing with shoulder, hand, and wrist injuries that have derailed more than one campaign. This particular injury was specified as a “left ring-finger sprain and left wrist issue.” While the finger should heal given time and be something Bryant could play through, the wrist is particularly troubling.

With the way Bryant has seemed to drag his bat through the zone and be overmatched by even mediocre velocity, it’s not surprising that that front wrist is an issue. If it’s only 50-75 percent right now, that could be sapping almost all power and bat speed in a game where your wrists, forearms, and hands are of the utmost importance.

Everyone watching the Cubs over the last five years has seen Bryant hit and knows the power, eye, base-running, and flexibility the 2016 MVP can offer when healthy. They also have seen Bryant when he’s not at the height of his powers. Alas, it seems like forever ago when we last saw the newly-minted dad at 100 percent.