Epstein, Hoyer, Maddon Speak About Addison Russell Situation

Today, after allegations of infidelity and domestic violence surfaced on social media, the Chicago Cubs asked shortstop Addison Russell to stay away from the ballpark today so that he could deal with his issues at home.

That comes from team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, each of whom spoke to the media a short time ago about the situation. It’s not clear when Russell will be back with the team.

You can watch Theo Epstein’s full comments to the media, via CBS:

As Epstein said, Russell has not been suspended from the team at this time, but the front office did feel it was best for him to stay away today. Also, Epstein said there is not technically a formal investigation by MLB at this time, though I’ll admit that I don’t have a great sense of clarity on the distinction between a formal investigation, and whatever it is that MLB has already confirmed it is doing – “looking into” the situation.

Epstein said the team became aware of the social media postings last night during the game, and spoke with Russell last night and again this morning. As the team’s statement indicated, the Cubs also contacted Major League Baseball so that they could handle things on their end with respect to the domestic violence policy, over which they have exclusive dominion.

I appreciated that Epstein pointed out the reality of the situation: there is so much that is still unknown, given that all we have is a social media posting by a third party, but this is a serious allegation that must be considered carefully. Where it goes from here, I don’t think anyone should be speculating at this time.

Jed Hoyer was on 670 The Score, adding his own perspective:

Joe Maddon also spoke about the situation, noting that the team had a brief meeting today, and Maddon talked to Russell last night. Maddon’s comments, via CBS:

As Maddon said, he thought there was something off with Russell for a while now, and that did play a part in his decision to start alternating more at shortstop with Javy Baez. It sounds like Maddon did not anticipate that it was a personal situation, though.

I wish I could offer you something more concrete, but it doesn’t exist right now. The Cubs will give Russell some time and distance – how much is needed is unknown – and MLB will proceed as the facts or interviews or evidence dictates.

To the extent this becomes an extended absence, there will be roster-related considerations, as I’m sure the Cubs will operate with 24 players for only so long. But for tonight, that seems a secondary consideration.

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

Cubs Roster Move: Herget Claimed By Rockies

Talk about a Friday afternoon news dump! OK, actually, this is not a particularly significant piece of news, as the waiver of reliever Jimmy Herget (a guy who didn't actually pitch in the big leagues for the Cubs, and who...

The Cubs Should Recreate the Ross-Lester Winter with Free Agents Travis D’Arnaud and Max Fried

Back in December of 2014, the Chicago Cubs made one of the most consequential free agent signings in franchise history, inking free agent lefty Jon Lester to a six-year, $155 million deal. But they didn't stop there. While Lester would...

Cubs Are Reportedly Already “Ruling Out” a Pursuit of Juan Soto or Corbin Burnes

I am sharing this with you just in case anyone had illusions otherwise. This should not be regarded as surprising, in my view, but I understand that hope dies hard. From The Athletic: "The pressure on the Chicago Cubs’ front...

Cubs Injury Updates: Jordan Wicks and Cade Horton

Some injury updates on a couple young Chicago Cubs pitchers for whom the 2024 season was cut very short. First, Jordan Wicks has recovered from his recurrent oblique issue, which it turns out was not entirely to oblique. Via the...

The Cubs’ Double-A Affiliate Has a Slightly New Name, Look

In a move that's been underway for a little while now, the Chicago Cubs' Double-A affiliate in Tennessee are rebranding in conjunction with their move to a new stadium in downtown Knoxville: https://twitter.com/MiLB/status/1854556824764035210 https://twitter.com/smokiesbaseball/status/1854555876083876308 So, going forward, the Cubs' Double-A...

Much Love to Kyle Hendricks, a Superior Pitcher and an Even Better Teammate

Although he was known as much for his style of pitching as his level of success, it isn't the case that Kyle Hendricks was "good for a guy who doesn't throw hard." Kyle Hendricks was simply one of the best...

Cardinals TV Kinda Saved, MLB’s Plans Kinda Not, HBP Cubs, and Other Cubs Bullets

A house is just an opportunity to experience all the new and exotic ways that stuff can break ... Big news for the Cardinals, as they are one of the select clubs with which Diamond/Bally/FanDuel actually wants to continue a...

Lukewarm Stove: Jed Hoyer’s “Main Focus” in Free Agency, Kim to Milwaukee? Hernandez, Adames, More

MLB RUMORS — I caught Jed Hoyer talking to Jon Morosi at the GM Meetings on MLB Network, and I thought this quote was worth relaying to those seeking Cubs rumors here in the early offseason: "I think adding pitching...

Cubs Prospect Notes: Top Hitters, Home Run Derby, Ballesteros, Rosario, Winter Ball

Some Chicago Cubs prospecting bits for you today ... Baseball America crafted a set of metrics to analyze the quality of an offensive prospect's underlying performance, and the Cubs have a whole lot of prospects who show up on the...

Cubs Minor League Re-Signings: Aliendo, Franklin, Santos, More

Woo hoo! The Chicago Cubs were indeed able to retain most of the outgoing minor league free agents we most would've wanted to see them keep! A reminder that, although minor league free agency arrived this week, there's a scramble...

Latest News

Bills vs. Colts Week 10 DFS: Player Tips and Picks

The Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts will clash at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 10, and we provide DFS suggestions right here.Bills vs. Colts Game InfoGame Date: Sunday, November 10, 2024Time: 1 p.m. ETVenue: Lucas Oil StadiumLocation: Indianapolis, IndianaTV:...

Cubs Roster Move: Herget Claimed By Rockies

Talk about a Friday afternoon news dump! OK, actually, this is not a particularly significant piece of news, as the waiver of reliever Jimmy Herget (a guy who didn't actually pitch in the big leagues for the Cubs, and who...

Bears Bits: Empty Investments, Deep Ball Accuracy, More

The Chicago Bears will host the New England Patriots at Soldier Field on Sunday, and they'll again be searching for success on the offensive side of the ball. That starts with their rookie quarterback and his receivers, a group that...

WELP: The Bears Will Be Without *BOTH* Starting Tackles in Week 10

Yuck! The Friday Chicago Bears injury report is out and the news isn't good for the offensive line. The Bears will be down both starting offensive tackles after declaring left tackle Braxton Jones and right tackle Darnell Wright for Sunday's...

The Chicago Bulls’ Veterans May Not be the Only Players on the Trade Block

Everything has to be on the table for organizations like the Chicago Bulls. The franchise has faced back-to-back Play-In Tournament losses, and those came after an uneventful trip to the playoffs that ended in a swift five games. The last...

Who was the Last Running Back to Win the Heisman Trophy?

We are heading for the stretch run of this college football season and top players like Ashton Jeanty are looking to solidify their spot as a Heisman finalist. We have seen tons of quarterbacks in recent years so we wonder...

Bears vs. Patriots Preview: One More Before the NFL North Gauntlet

Two weeks after Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears lost to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, they're still searching for some semblance of their pre-bye week success on offense. Chicago's offense has been as disjointed as it's been all...

Chicago Bears Keys to Victory Against the New England Patriots

The Chicago Bears return to Soldier Field for a much-needed home game against the New England Patriots this week. Chicago has been a drastically different team at home this season, winning all three contests at Soldier Field. Chicago Bears Keys...

Bears Offense vs Patriots Defense: How Do They Stack Up?

The Chicago Bears are home this weekend, taking on the New England Patriots at Soldier Field in Week 10. How does their offense stack up against the Patriots' defense? Let's discuss. Chicago Bears Offense QB: Caleb Williams RB: D'Andre Swift...

The Bears Defense is Rallying Around Zacch Pickens

While it seems like the Chicago Bears locker room is teetering and on the verge of disaster, this clip from @PatTheDesigner featuring players surrounding Zacch Pickens provides hope that the guys in the locker room can bring the team together...

Cubs Are Reportedly Already “Ruling Out” a Pursuit of Juan Soto or Corbin Burnes

I am sharing this with you just in case anyone had illusions otherwise. This should not be regarded as surprising, in my view, but I understand that hope dies hard. From The Athletic: "The pressure on the Chicago Cubs’ front...

more cubs news