Logan

Watkins

He’s now on the 40-man roster. Watkins batted .281/.383/.422 with nine homers and 28 steals at Double-A this season while playing the middle infield and the outfield.

Barney is likely just getting a breather. Logan Watkins will make the start at second base.

Watkins hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since a 31-game stint with the Cubs in 2014. He spent the 2016 season at Triple-A Iowa where he slashed .261/.314/.353 with one homer, 42 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 378 plate appearances.

Watkins missed all of last season with a torn Achilles but is healthy now. The 26-year-old had cups of coffee with the Cubs in 2013 and 2014 and isn’t a bad guy to have around for depth given his versatility.

Watkins was with the team for just a couple of days to provide emergency depth in the infield with Starlin Castro sidelined. He could rejoin the Cubs once rosters expand in September.

He’s now sat out two of the last three games. Soler dealt with injuries to both legs this season in the minors, and the Cubs want to be careful with his usage with the big club. Expect the slugger to continue seeing regular days off during the final month. Soler has three homers and seven RBI in his first four major league games. Logan Watkins is in right field Sunday.

Watkins will give the Cubs some needed middle infield depth while Starlin Castro mourns the loss of a family member and three friends. Watkins is not fantasy-relevant.

Watkins and Chris Valaika went back-to-back against Justin Masterson in the fourth inning. It was the first home run of Watkins’ major league career. The 25-year-old made the start in right field for the first game of the doubleheader, as the Cubs wanted to take it easy on Jorge Soler’s hamstring. Watkins has played all over the place in Triple-A this season and could stick as a utility player, though it probably won’t lead to much fantasy value.

Watkins has three hits in 10 at-bats with the big club this season. He’ll provide infield depth.

It’s no surprise, of course, after he exited Tuesday’s contest with a nasty looking left ankle injury. The Cubs have yet to provide an update on Castro’s X-rays and MRI, but that should come before long. Javier Baez is at shortstop Wednesday, with Logan Watkins handling second base.