Thanks to flight delays and family needs and then a late game, I didn’t get to sufficiently update folks on Javy Baez’s situation last night.
Baez has been out since the first day of the month with a fractured thumb, and the best – most realistic – hope is that he could return if the Cubs make a run in the postseason. Having mostly been away from the team since then, Baez is back and set for an evaluation:
Baez to be re-examined later this week
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) September 17, 2019
Javy Baez to be evaluated by the end of the week (about three weeks after suffering a hairline thumb fracture) to determine if he can begin rehab activity.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) September 17, 2019
If Baez gets cleared on Friday, you could make start hoping he feels great, and somehow ramps up in a week to return for that final series of the year against the Cardinals in St. Louis. That seems to be pretty darn unlikely to me, but hey, some folks just heal really quickly. It is also possible that the re-evaluation will show a return in the postseason is not going to happen. So, you know, balance your hopes and expectations appropriately.
Until then, with Addison Russell still on the concussion list, Nico Hoerner will continue to be the man at shortstop. No one can replace Javy Baez completely, but so far, Hoerner has been acceptably solid defensively, and plenty good enough at the plate.