Bryant still sidelined

CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was out of the lineup Friday with a finger injury and could miss this weekend’s series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bryant sprained his left little finger on a headfirst slide in the first inning of Chicago’s 8-2 victory at Atlanta on Wednesday. X-rays were negative, but Bryant is experiencing soreness and there is some concern about gripping a bat.

“We’re going to do this a day-by-day thing,” Manager Joe Maddon said before Friday’s game against St. Louis. “I really don’t know. If I had to guess, probably not tomorrow, too, and possibly on Sunday. But I really don’t know.”

Bryant, 25, is hitting .275 with 19 home runs and 40 RBI in 88 games. He won the NL MVP award last year, helping the Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908.

Javier Baez got the start at third for Chicago’s series-opening loss against the Cardinals.