IT’S KRIS MISS IN AUGUST
But Baez, Rizzo, Zobrist are producing as Cubs soldier on without Bryant
First, the good news: Kris Bryant’s injured shoulder is “getting stronger.”
Now, the bad news: There still isn’t a timetable for the slugging Cubs third baseman to return to the lineup.
Wait, back to the good news: The Cubs found the right formula to overcome Bryant’s continued absence and defeated the Padres 5-4 on a sun-splashed Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
With Bryant sidelined for the 10th consecutive game because of inflammation in his left shoulder, the Cubs got a stellar pitching performance from Jose Quintana and big days at the plate from Ben Zobrist, Javy Baez and Anthony Rizzo to top the Padres before a crowd of 40,894.
The Cubs banged out 10 hits while improving to 5-5 during this second stint on the 10-day disabled list for Bryant.
“We need and want him back,” manager Joe Maddon said before the game. “He’s a difference-maker. We’ve seen that. Not only are we talking about the hitting but the baserunning [and] he’s played great defense and [his] presence. The length of your lineup looks different when he’s involved. We’re looking forward to that moment.”
In the meantime, Quintana stayed in his moment as the left-hander went six strong innings and yielded a run and four hits with no walks and six strikeouts. He improved to 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 26 strikeouts in his last four starts at Wrigley Field.
“I was feeling really good [and] my command was better,” said Quintana, whose only mistake was a hanging curveball that Christian Villanueva deposited over the wall in left in the fourth inning. “I hit my spots right away with the first pitch.”
The gaping hole in the lineup would be much more daunting if not for the continued production from Baez, Zobrist and Rizzo, who have kicked into high gear with Bryant idle.
Baez equaled his career high with his 23rd home run and tripled, Zobrist brought home the Cubs’ second and third runs with a sacrifice fly and a fielder’s choice, respectively, and Rizzo had three hits, including a homer into the basket in right to add a key insurance run in the seventh.
“We definitely miss Kris in the lineup, that’s for sure,” Rizzo said. “Guys have been putting together really good at-bats, and we have to keep doing that.”
Baez is hitting .407 with four homers and 10 RBI in his last 10 games, Rizzo has reached base in eight consecutive games and has four homers and eight RBI during that stretch and Zobrist is hitting .447 in 12 games since the All-Star break.
“I’m just really focused on doing what I can do,” Zobrist said. “I can’t fill Kris Bryant’s absence, there’s barely anybody in the league that can, so you just try to be the best version of yourself and have good quality at-bats.”
The Cubs evened the four-game series at 1-1 and improved to 63-46 as Quintana bettered Padres starter Tyson Ross, who allowed three runs in five innings.
“One hanging curveball, and otherwise [Quintana] was near-perfect,” Maddon said. “[There was] more strike throwing . . . pounding the zone [and he had] great carry on his fastball.”
The Cubs survived a rocky ninth when Pedro Strop allowed two runs, but the righthander struck out Austin Hedges to end it.
As for Bryant, Maddon said trainer PJ Mainville “told me he’d been doing a lot of good work with [Bryant], and actually PJ felt a strength increase and so did KB. I don’t have anything more to report than that, but he’s getting stronger.”