Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant took swings in the batting cage on Friday, four days after he left a game at Pittsburgh with right oblique tightness.
“I don’t know how hard he swung,” Cubs manager David Ross said Friday. “If it was off the tee, or flips, or live-arm, I have no idea about that. But it was good he was able to do the things he’s done today so far.”
After Bryant’s work in the batting cage, according to Ross, the third baseman reported that he was feeling good. He went out to the field to take ground balls and planned to check in with Ross after that activity.
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Asked if he hoped to get Bryant back in the lineup against the White Sox this weekend, in the Cubs’ final series of the regular season, Ross said, “I need him to be healthy before I can make a decision.”
With Bryant out, and David Bote experiencing a flare-up of the unspecified minor injury he’s been dealing with recently, Nico Hoerner is set to start at third base at Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday.
The Cubs also selected the contract of Patrick Wisdom from the South Bend alternate site to add infield depth.
“It sounds like (Bote) is fine now,” Ross said, “but I didn't know what was going on. If anybody were to get injured in today's game, I just would have been really short on infield depth.”
MLB
To make room for Wisdom on the active roster, the Cubs optioned designated hitter José Martínez to South Bend. To add Wisdom to the 40-man roster, the Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Manny Rodriguez from Double-A Tennessee and placed him on the 45-day injured list with a right bicep strain.