Jonathan Villar will join the Cubs on their trip to Baltimore and his return from the injured list looks imminent.
“He should be coming off [the IL] Tuesday, barring anything that we may see,” manager David Ross said.
Villar has been sidelined for over a week with what he called one of the most “frustrating” injuries of his career. He was stretching before a game with an exercise band wrapped around a metal tube. It flung back and hit him in the face.
He suffered damage to his teeth and gums, lost a bottom tooth and underwent an eight-hour dental procedure. He said his gums were most affected due to band’s impact when it hit him.
“It's one of the most frustrating injuries that I've ever had, really,” Villar said. “It's something that as these days have gone by, I've really put some thought into it.
“Like, why did it happen? But it just happened, so I'm moving on and continue to do what I have to do.”
The Cubs placed Villar, who’s hitting .239/.279/.336 in 32 games this season, on the 10-day IL Monday, retroactive to last Friday.
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He anticipates returning Tuesday, the first day he’s eligible, ahead of the Cubs’ series opener against the Orioles. He’s been able to train and complete baseball activities during his absence.
“I'm ready," he said. "I kept ready and kept training.”