The good news is that, despite missing last night’s game with his annual bit of back trouble, there isn’t currently an expectation that this will be a lengthy injury situation.
Anthony Rizzo felt his back tighten up during yesterday’s 15-inning win over Milwaukee. Joe Maddon says it’s similar to the back issues that Rizzo’s experienced in the past. The Cubs hope Rizzo will be available as a pinch-hitter tonight at Wrigley Field.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) May 12, 2019
Maddon said it’s the normal back tightness for Rizzo. Nothing worse. Could potentially pinch hit. Also, Lester will get an extra long leash tonight. Both starters will
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) May 12, 2019
And if those updates didn’t ease your mind, I would think this will not only make you feel better, but may also make you laugh:
Lester praised Bryant's play at first, then joked that he told Rizzo (out with back stiffness) to expect more days off.
JL: "I already yelled at him. I told him I'm going to have a personal lineup going forward. So every five days he'll have off. We're going to go with that."
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) May 13, 2019
This jocularity comes just after Lester roasted Rizzo and outfielder Kyle Schwarber for their performances during his last start. Lester’s side hustle, clearly, is comedy.