NEWSLETTER
Fingers crossed. Don’t jinx it. Keep feeling good. Knock on wood. Light a candle. All that stuff.
Anthony Rizzo is finally coming back:
Anthony Rizzo, who hasn’t played since 5/25 due to a back issue, says on ESPN 1000 he’s feeling ‘a lot better’ and plans on being in the lineup tonight.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) June 1, 2021
David Ross expects Anthony Rizzo (back) to return to the #Cubs' lineup tonight, assuming "everything checks out" as hoped.
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) June 1, 2021
Rizzo was hitting very well in May before this injury (.294/.402/.441, 132 wRC+ in May), so hopefully the rest has done him well enough to pick up where he left off. Of course, he’s returning against lefty Ryan Weathers tonight, who has been brutal on lefties (though he’s likely replacing a lefty in the lineup anyway – more on that at bottom).
Rizzo’s return ALSO means the Cubs finally stop playing a guy short. Thanks to all the other injuries and the 40-man roster, the Cubs couldn’t put Rizzo on the IL without DFA’ing yet another player, so they made the decision to just play with Rizzo on the bench, but unable to actually play for the last week. So, the Cubs are not only getting a big bat and glove back in their lineup, they’re also adding a player to the bench!
Best guess, by the way, is that Rizzo takes Rafael Ortega’s spot in the lineup for now, with Kris Bryant going back to the outfield. I don’t think Patrick Wisdom is sitting down right now.
