Though it's sooner than we anticipated, it appears the Cubs have seen enough from Addison Russell at Triple-A to promote him already on Wednesday afternoon.
The shortstop has been under heavy scrutiny since accepting a 40-game suspension for domestic abuse, following
We thought he might be held at the Triple-A level for far longer, as Chicago's management attempted to figure out how best to deal with the former star (cutting all ties seems easy...). However, that timeline got bumped up when Russell was spotted in the city on Wednesday.
According to a source, Addison Russell is in Chicago today. Not sure what this means for his return to the club but he is not with the Iowa Cubs and he is in Chicago.
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) May 8, 2019
Of course, many were hoping that he could simply be in town to pack up his things, but unfortunately that is not the case.
In place of Ben Zobrist and Daniel Descalso, Russell is on the verge of being elevated to the active roster.
Look for two roster moves from the Cubs today. I’m hearing Zobrist and Descalso to the IL. Addison Russell will be one of the players activated.
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) May 8, 2019
Turns out it's a personal matter for Zobrist and not an injury, but the sentiment remains the same.
Regrettably, signs have pointed to him being accepted back into the team's culture for a while, as some reports developed this week that Cubs executives were pressuring members of the media not to slander Russell in hopes of creating a more positive image for him.
Russell will have to do his best to win back the support of the fans, and some boos can be expected in his first at-bat.
The Cubs have been playing beyond well lately, with eight wins in their last 10 games. Hopefully for the club, Russell's return won't be too much of a distraction, and the team can continue to win ballgames.