Cubs Injury Update: Addison Russell Preps for Football Season with Agility Drills

After doing a little jogging prior to Friday’s game, Addison Russell was back out on the field Saturday performing running and agility drills. He even incorporated a football, as we see in the picture Cubs radio broadcaster Mark Grote shared on Twitter. I’m sure that’s just a matter of having a little fun, but I do see something very promising in the image. Can you tell what I’m talking about?

Though it’s impossible to know exactly how hard he’s going here, I’m very encouraged by the fact that the shortstop is cutting on his right foot. That’s his plant foot on those quicksilver dive-and-pop-up plays he’s known for and it’s the same one that he injured and then reaggravated. This is obviously a very different situation from those he’ll face in live action, but it’s a very positive signal nonetheless.

“I feel great,” Russell told reporters after his third straight day of running drills. “It’s coming along pretty smoothly. Each day I come in, and my foot is feeling better.”

Willson Contreras rejoined the team Saturday and should be activated shortly, so getting Russell back prior to season’s end would provide yet another big boost to a team that has struggled at times to put runs on the board. And it comes at a time when the Brewers are moving in the opposite direction, healthwise. Starter Jimmy Nelson suffered a strained rotator cuff and torn labrum Friday night and is done for at least the rest of 2017.

More news on the injury front as it comes out.

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