No IL for Kris Bryant Following Oblique Issue, Rex Brothers Optioned to South Bend

David Ross said prior to Tuesday’s game that Kris Bryant’s oblique is feeling better than it did when he left Monday’s game in the 3rd inning and that the club didn’t feel it merited an MRI. The third baseman will not require an IL stint and is listed as day-to-day, but will not be available off the bench Tuesday. While this is good news on the surface, it’s also imperative that the Cubs exercise caution here.

Bryant isn’t over wrist and finger issues suffered back in Cleveland earlier in the season and he likely won’t be without extended offseason rest. Oblique issues are also very tricky, not unlike hamstrings, and can be exacerbated easily. Even though Bryant isn’t going to be at full strength in 2020 no matter what, it’d be best to have him as close to it as possible for the postseason.

In other news, the Cubs officially activated José Quintana from the IL and optioned lefty reliever Rex Brothers to the alternate site to make room on the roster. Brothers appeared in just three games for the Cubs, the most recent of which saw him strike out all three batters he faced in the lopsided loss to the Twins on Sunday. Kind of ironic that his best outing came in his first MLB appearance in nearly two months and that he was sent back down immediately after.

Such is life in this weird COVID season.