The Chicago Cubs seem open to the possibility of having Javy Baez remain at shortstop if and when Addison Russell returns from suspension.
Russell is completing a 40-game suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. While he’s been out, Baez has played shortstop and Ben Zobrist and Daniel Descalso have mostly played second.
Russell exclusively played shortstop for the Cubs the past three seasons, though he split time between there and second base in 2015. Baez mostly played second last season, though he also played shortstop and third base. On Wednesday, manager Joe Maddon indicated it’s possible Baez will not move back to second.
Maddon on how hard it migjt be to move Baez off SS for Russell:
“That’s still a discussion we have to have.”— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) April 25, 2019
Baez has been so hot lately — four home runs in his last seven games and nearly a 1.000 OPS on the season — that it might not make sense to move him. He’s off to a torrid start and is the leader to be the NL shortstop representative. How do you move a guy and mess things up when he’s playing that well?
