Why the Cubs haven't given up on Daniel Descalso yet

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Now that Addison Russell is back in the minor leagues, there's one less player in the mix for the Cubs second base picture.

So what does that mean for Daniel Descalso?

The veteran signed with the Cubs this winter to fill a valuable utility role and provide a boost inside the clubhouse. 

By all accounts, thing have played out exactly according to plan on the latter (for more on Descalso's impact on this team behind the scenes, listen to Kelly Crull break it down on our latest podcast), but the former hasn't gone according to script. Descalso has only started 38 games this year, all coming at second base, and his last start came nearly a month ago — June 30 in Cincinnati.

In fact, Descalso hadn't even seen an inning at second base since then until he was subbed into Tuesday night's game in San Francisco and stayed on the field as the contest went into extra innings.

In total, the 32-year-old has only 7 plate appearances in July as he's been banished to the bench amid his nearly three-month long struggles (he's hitting .107 with a .355 OPS since the end of April). 

"No question, it is difficult [to keep him involved]," Joe Maddon said Sunday as the Cubs wrapped up their homestand. "But he makes it less difficult. He's a professional — he's always working, he talks to everybody, he's there to support everybody else. ... He's outstanding as a person and as a teammate, so he's made it easier on everybody else, actually."

As the Cubs continue to struggle on the road amid a tight division race, it's become an everyday occurrence to see fans wondering when the team is going to designate Descalso for assignment or place him on the shelf with some phantom malady

The Cubs could clearly use another productive hitter in the lineup on a regular basis with the recent struggles from guys like Albert Almora Jr. and David Bote. Descalso came up with a bunch of clutch hits in April and posted a .762 OPS in more than 1,100 plate appearances over the three seasons prior to 2019.

Between that track record and the veteran presence Descalso provides, the Cubs have not yet reached a point where they want to give up on the left-handed hitter despite rarely using him over the last month.

Now that Russell is in the minor leagues for the near future, that might open the door to some more playing time for Descalso, though Robel Garcia has been impressive in limited duty. The trade deadline also looms as a potential shake-up to the roster of position players if the Cubs acquire another bat.

As the Cubs came out of the All-Star Break earlier this month, Maddon acknowledged he has been talking to Descalso often about the situation and knows it's tough for the veteran to stay sharp enough to even pinch-hit when he's only getting a couple at-bats a week.

"In spite of all this, the guy continues to contribute as a veteran player," the Cubs skipper said. "Not playing everyday, I watch what he does with conversation with guys. I know he's frustrated, but he really deals with it well. 

"I don't know when the breakout period's gonna come. You look back at spring training — he looked great. You look at the first part of the season — he looked great. And then he got hurt a little bit and came back and he just wasn't quite the same. I cannot put my finger on it. 

"But the guy's a professional. He's handled it as well as it could be handled or dealt with and we need to continue to work with him. ... I cannot speak more highly of him or what he's done behind the scenes with this group."

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