In the third inning last night, Javy Baez made a stellar play on a slow grounder, snagging it barehanded and making a strong, off-balance throw to first base for the out.
Unfortunately, in the process, something went awry with his lower half, and you could tell he was immediately in significant pain (beyond his normal wincing):
Baez stayed the game for another couple innings before ultimately departing.
The good news is that it wasn’t his ankle or calf or hamstring or anything like that; instead, Baez says he jammed his heel down, and that led to a bruised heel (Cubs.com). From his perspective after the game, he wants to be ready to go tonight. Moreover, Joe Maddon said he could see Baez being able to play tonight (Tribune).
It kind of seemed like an opportunity to rest him was coming soon anyway, though, and given this injury, even if it’s not too serious, it might be the right time to give Baez a breather. The Cubs do have a very capable shortstop on the roster behind Baez in Addison Russell, who may not have the bat of Baez, but can obviously adequately replace the defense, as he’s shown in the past.