Cubs' Kris Bryant Placed on IL After Finger Injury Diagnosed as Sprain

Blake SchusterAnalyst IIAugust 23, 2020

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant (17) during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The Reds won 12-7. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

Aaron Doster/Associated Press

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was thought to have a good chance to return to the lineup Friday after he received an injection in his left wrist. Instead he's heading to the injured list with a left finger sprain.

Patrick Mooney @PJ_Mooney
The Cubs placed Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ring finger. His left wrist also continues to bother him, a team spokesman said. The move is retroactive to Aug. 19 and the Cubs will have 27 players tonight on the active roster.

Cubs manager David Ross announced the move ahead of Saturday night's game against the Chicago White Sox. The 10-day IL stint is retroactive to August 19, meaning Bryant could return early next week. The club did not make a corresponding move to fill his roster spot. Ross had previously said Chicago would take a "wait and see" approach with Bryant.

Four days after his injection, the Cubs have seen enough.

It's been a thoroughly disappointing season for the 2016 National League MVP, as Bryant's slash line sits at a paltry .177/.271/.323 with two home runs, six walks and 20 strikeouts.

The Cubs, meanwhile, lead the NL Central by four games at 16-9, though the team has cooled off from its hot start, going 4-6 over its last 10 games—including a 10-1 rout by the White Sox on Friday.

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Chicago's schedule will get a bit easier after the weekend, as the club travels to Detroit for a three-game series against the Tigers (10-14) followed by four games at the Cincinnati Reds (11-13).