Maddon dodges misplaced axe

CHICAGO — The Cubs expect to make changes after an early playoff exit. Just not in the manager’s office.

Joe Maddon will return as skipper for a fifth season, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Wednesday.

“He’s the manager of this team and I’m very happy about that,” Epstein said.

Maddon has one year left on his contract. Though there are no ongoing discussions about an extension, Epstein insisted they have a “terrific” working relationship.

“We don’t agree all the time about baseball issues, and that’s the way it should be,” Epstein said. “I don’t want a yes man as the manager.”

Maddon has a 387-261-1 record with playoff appearances in each of his four seasons in Chicago. The Cubs have more wins during that span than any other team, with three trips to the NLCS and a World Series championship in 2016 that ended a drought dating to 1908.

Chicago finished 95-68 this season, blowing a five-game lead over Milwaukee in the NL Central before losing a tiebreaker to the Brewers for the division title at Wrigley Field. Chicago was eliminated by Colorado with a 2-1, 13-inning defeat in the NL wild-card game at home Tuesday.

While Maddon appears to be staying on, shortstop Addison Russell might have played his final game for the Cubs.

Russell accepted a 40game suspension Wednesday for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy after a series of allegations made by his ex-wife. Epstein said he wasn’t sure what the odds were of Russell playing another game for Chicago.

As for Maddon, there were some hints during the regular season that he and management might not be on the same page, fueling speculation that he might be on the way out if the Cubs don’t make a deep playoff run. Epstein suggested last month that using closer Brandon Morrow in a third straight game June 2 might have led to the bone bruise in his right elbow that ultimately ended his season, and Maddon initially did not read the blog post by Russell’s exwife accusing the shortstop of domestic violence.

Epstein said the two have not yet discussed a contract extension, meaning there’s a chance Maddon goes into next season with an expiring deal.

“It’s becoming more common in the game,” Epstein said. “I think you’ve seen it in other places and it hasn’t always led to a big distraction.”