Cubs to option Addison Russell to Triple-A |
The Chicago Cubs have decided on a course of action with shortstop Addison Russell.
When Russell is eligible to come back to the major league team from his 40-game suspension by MLB for domestic violence policy, he will be optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday according to Cubs President of Operations Theo Epstein. Epstein called it a baseball decision as they continue to monitor Russell's progress according to reports. There is no timeline but he is expected to be in Iowa for at least a few more weeks and will split time at second and shortstop. This is probably a smart move because it gets him more at-bats for much needed practice and it doesn't disrupt any of the momentum with the Cubs as they have been rolling as of late with Javier Baez starting at shortstop along different second basemen most nights including David Bote, Ben Zobrist, and Daniel Descalso. "I feel like overcoming this challenge has made me much more self-aware,’’ Russell told USA Today recently. “It has taught me to slow things down, reflect, and be a better person. It’s given me a lot of insight on what kind of person I am, and what my goals are moving forward. I can sit back and play baseball, and still, reflect and be thankful for the life I live."