Addison Russell's status uncertain for Cubs-Cardinals Game 4

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Cubs shortstop Addison Russell was removed from Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday with left hamstring tightness, and manager Joe Maddon said the 21-year-old rookie's status for Game 4 is "absolutely not certain."

Russell was removed from Monday's game after hitting a two-out triple off Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha in the top of the fourth. Russell — who didn't require an MRI after coming out of the game — said he didn't want to risk trying to play through it, so he was replaced by Javier Baez.

"I don't want to put my team in a sticky situation where I try to play through it and I'm at shortstop," Russell said. "I want to have my team set up for the best success, and I thought for the better of the team, i just thought I'd stay out."

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Russell, who has three hits in 12 postseason at-bats, said he felt better by the end of the game after putting some ice to his hamstring and moving it around a little bit. He's had a few hamstring issues in the past, but said this one — which was only a Grade 1 strain — only rates as a one and a half or two on the pain scale, while a Grade 3 strain suffered last year rated as a 10.

Over 142 regular season games, Russell racked up 2.9 WAR based largely on the strong defense he played at second base and shortstop. He hit 13 home runs and drove in 54 with a .242/.307/.389 slash line in 523 at-bats. That solid glove and back-of-the-order power could be back in the Cubs lineup tomorrow depending on how Russell's hamstring responds in the next 12 or so hours.

"We'll just have to wait and see how it is overnight and come back in and tell the trainers how I feel and go from there," Russell said.

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