Bryant ‘ fine,’ sits out anyway
CLEVELAND— Third baseman Kris Bryant took batting practice Tuesday but was held out of the Cubs’ lineup two days after he was hit in the head by a pitch against the Rockies.
Bryant, who told team officials he felt fine, did pregame work under the supervision of a trainer and underwent a precautionary examination from the Indians’ team doctor.
He has not been put in Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol, and the exam suggested no change in his condition since Sunday, when an initial exam suggested he had avoided a concussion. The Cubs had Monday off.
‘‘ He’s not bouncy, but he’s fine,’’ manager JoeMaddon said. ‘‘ He’s very lucid. He’s fine.
‘‘ I said: ‘ Listen, you need to evaluate this yourself. You need to do what you think is the right thing to do. You know how you feel.’ ’’
Bryant’s status was to be evaluated againWednesday. He was hit in the front of the helmet by a 96 mph fastball from the Rockies’ German Marquez in the first inning Sunday. The force of the pitch spun the helmet, broke his sunglasses and left a small cut above his left eye. He appeared dazed but never left his feet and was helped off the field. Russell back in lineup
After being taken by ambulance to a hospital in Denver because of an allergic reaction to the postgame meal in the clubhouse Sunday, shortstop Addison
Russell was back in the lineup, meaning he didn’t miss a game.
How complete was his recovery? He doubled in his first at- bat and drove a ball deep to center in his second.
‘‘ I’m glad everything’s feeling normal,’’ said Russell, who swelled up significantly enough for the team to call paramedics and for him to require IVs at the hospital. ‘‘ The vitals are normal, and I’m back to the same routine.’’
Russell is careful with what he eats because of a shellfish allergy, but he didn’t see a label on the item that caused the issue.
‘‘ I thought it was lemon chicken, and it turned out to be shrimp,’’ he said.
Other players said they thought it looked like chicken, too.
Rug burn
Most of the visitors’ clubhouse, weight room and surrounding areas at Progressive Field looked unchanged when the Cubs got to the park for their first game there since Game 7 of theWorld Series almost 18 months ago. Except for one thing. ‘‘ I see that they replaced the carpet, which is nice,’’ Russell said. ‘‘ I think we messed it up pretty good.’’
It might have been the most champagne and beer sprayed in a baseball clubhouse.
‘‘ Yeah, it was probably necessary,’’ Maddon said of the new carpet. ‘‘ So some good things come of all that stuff for the visitors, too. You’ve got new interior decorating.’’
Javy heat
Second baseman Javy Baez, who entered the day leading the National League in slugging percentage (. 736) and RBI, drove in run No. 24 with a grounder to second in the seventh inning.
He also extended his hitting streak to seven games with a double in the first, then added another in the ninth. Seventeen of his 23 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
WEDNESDAY CUBS AT INDIANS The facts: 670- AM. 6: 10 p. m., NBCSCH, The pitchers:
Jon Lester ( 2- 0, 3.10 ERA) vs. Trevor Bauer ( 1- 2, 2.67).