Addison Russell Called Up, Will Start Tuesday vs. Pirates

Well that didn’t take long. Not even a week after Kris Bryant made his Cubs debut, Addison Russell is set to join him on Tuesday as the Cubs face the Pittsburgh Pirates.

I had just written yesterday about how Russell’s move to 2B — temporary though it may be — was a precursor to a bigger move. But I thought I’d  be waiting until sometime in May before writing about the reality of the Infield of the Future.

The Cubs now feature a very odd group across the diamond, literally, when you consider their ages. Anthony Rizzo (25) and Starlin Castro (25) are the elder statesmen, though they’re not much older than Kris Bryant (23) and Addison Russell (21). I’ve not done the research, but I’m guessing that’s the youngest unit in baseball (fact-check please).

Given the lack of production from Jonathan Herrera and Arismendy Alcantara, the Cubs saw both a need and an opportunity when it came to their calling up the centerpiece of last summer’s blockbuster trade. So much for that Russell Watch sign I was crafting for the next game I attend. I can safely say that the Cubs have exceeded my expectations on several levels in the short time since the season started.

I’m still a bit dumbstruck as I sit aboard this plane bound for Atlanta. Guess I’m gonna have to find a place to watch the game tonight now; this is destination viewing, to be sure. Welcome to the future, Cubs fans, I hope you packed your sunglasses.