Updates on key Cubs players: Baez, Darvish, Contreras, Zobrist

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The Cubs started September on the wrong foot with a loss to the Brewers to fall 3.0 games behind the red-hot Cardinals the NL Central standings. 

But they showed up to the ballpark on Labor Day Monday feeling optimistic about the status of four key players as they began a two-game tilt with the last-place Seattle Mariners:

Javy Baez

The All-Star shortstop jammed his left thumb in Sunday's 4-0 loss, coming out of the game after his fifth-inning walk. X-rays were negative, but it was still sore Monday, so the Cubs held him out of the lineup once again.

Instead, Addison Russell started at shortstop with Robel Garcia playing second base. The Cubs are 2-6 in games Baez does not start in the field, including an 0-2 record when he serves as the designated hitter.

If the thumb issue doesn't clear up by Tuesday night's game, the Cubs may opt to hold him out once again and give him three days in a row off with Wednesday's regularly scheduled off-day.

"If that were the case, that's not a bad thing — he gets a little All-Star Break right now," Joe Maddon said. "Day-to-day is pretty much where it's at."

The Cubs will badly need a healthy Baez down the stretch, beginning with a four-game series in Milwaukee this Thursday.

Yu Darvish

After he was scratched from his start Sunday due to forearm tightness, Darvish declined to talk about his injury Monday morning. 

Maddon didn't have an update either — "I haven't heard anything horrible, so I'm anticipating good" — which isn't all that unusual given the Cubs said they were going to give the right-hander a couple days off without throwing before picking up his standard mid-starts routine that would include a bullpen Wednesday or Thursday.

At the moment, there is no change to the plan that Darvish would rejoin the rotation in his usual spot Saturday in Milwaukee.

If he's unable to go, Maddon said the Cubs have not yet decided who would take Darvish's turn in the rotation. Tyler Chatwood got the ball on short notice Sunday and allowed just 1 run in 3.2 innings while striking out 7. 

But the Cubs also added Adbert Alzolay to the roster Monday and the organization's top pitching prospect made two starts and a long relief appearance when he was up with the big-league club in June and July.

With Darvish, the Cubs were also concerned about a huge jump in innings this season. After throwing only 40 frames last year due to injury, he had made every start this year before Sunday and is already at 152.1 innings. 

Maddon and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy will closely monitor Darvish's workload for the remainder of September (and into October), but this skipped start wasn't because of his innings. Darvish had been dealing with the forearm issue for the last month and it was still tight Saturday, the day before he was supposed to pitch.

"As much as you wanted him to pitch yesterday, we also thought it might be OK [to give him some extra time]," Maddon said. "It's always about what's going to be best for the pitcher, and we thought that was best for Yu. Hopefully everything's gonna be cool, he gets out for the next start and he's gonna be even better down the stretch."

Willson Contreras

The All-Star catcher is closing in on a return to the big leagues.

After missing the last month with a hamstring injury, Contreras played partial games Friday and Saturday with Triple-A Iowa on a rehab assignment before getting the day off Sunday.

He also started Monday's regular season finale and collected a hit:

Contreras will continue to play with Iowa as they begin a playoff series Wednesday.

That could mean he joins the team in Milwaukee this weekend.

"Just play it all the way through," Maddon said. "Without any setbacks — which I don't envision — he's pretty close."

Ben Zobrist

In his first time back in uniform at Wrigley Field since May 7, Zobrist did not get into the game Sunday, though he did finish the afternoon in the on-deck circle. 

Maddon initially was hoping to give Zobrist a chance to simply get back into the swing of things mentally Sunday without having to utilize him in game action, but was down to just the switch-hitting Zobrist and left-handed-hitting Daniel Descalso on the bench to hit in the pitcher's spot against Brewers closer Josh Hader in the ninth inning.

Zobrist was not in the lineup again Monday with young southpaw Justus Sheffield on the hill (the Cubs prefer to utilize Zobrist as a left-handed hitter against right-handed pitching). But Maddon confirmed the 38-year-old would be available off the bench if needed Monday and then is on track to start Tuesday against right-hander Felix Hernandez.

The Cubs are also planning on utilizing Zobrist often during the four-game set in Milwaukee.

"I know he's ready to rock and roll," Maddon said. "I know what he's capable of doing."

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