Addison Russell Scratched from Iowa Lineup Due to Missing Equipment

When word first came out that Addison Russell had been scratched from Sunday’s Iowa Cubs lineup, speculation immediately turned to a trade in the offing. Some even wondered whether it might be a disciplinary action, but it appears people were just misinterpreting the signs.

Source I checked in with told me there's nothing to read into with Addison Russell being a scratch from today's lineup. #Cubs

— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) July 28, 2019

As it turns out, the reason for Russell’s removal was far more mundane: His equipment simply hadn’t arrived yet. So it sounds like this wasn’t his fault, not that anything ever has been. But this, like, really wasn’t his fault.

Addison Russell was scratched from Triple-A Iowa lineup today simply because his equipment has yet to arrive. #Cubs

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 28, 2019

Both Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have said recently that Russell being optioned was not a sign [insert joke here] that his time in Chicago was done, but Ben Zobrist’s return and the looming trade deadline could have something to say about that.