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Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant’s return could loom large down the stretch

By Jeremy Melendez

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 01: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs hits a go ahead RBI single in the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 1, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 01: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs hits a go ahead RBI single in the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 1, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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The Chicago Cubs have been on a bit of a roll, and it appears more good news is on the way.

The Chicago Cubs finally appear to be finding that illusive second-half form that they’ve become so well-known for in the Joe Maddon Era. After basically playing .500 baseball since the All-Star break, the team seems to have awakened both offensively (thanks in large part to the addition of Daniel Murphy) and on the mound.

The Cubs are currently on a four-game winning streak after their 10-6 win over the Cinncinatti Reds on Saturday afternoon, and will look to keep up their winning ways by completing a four-game sweep on Sunday.

Despite losing many key players to extended DL stints this season, Maddon’s guys have managed to keep their heads above water and maintain the best record in the National League. The front office was proactive in making a few key moves to fill the necessary holes. These acquisitions, namely Cole Hamels, have given the team a tremendous boost and have played a large role in their recent winning streak.

If that wasn’t already good enough, the Cubs may have even more help on the way. Kris Bryant, who has not played since July 23rd and has missed 44 games this season due to shoulder inflammation, took live batting practice before Saturday’s game and did so pain free.

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Bryant told reporters that he changed his swing from his usual one-handed follow through to now using two hands. He went on to say that he believes that this could be a game changer as he not only no longer feels pain, but feels like he has even more power.

This would not only be huge for Bryant, but for the Cubs’ offense as well. So far, Murphy has done everything the team could have asked for and then some, which has translated to the lineup  producing in a big way. Now add the big, revamped swing of Bryant, and the Cubs bats become that much more scary.

Bryant is reportedly set to take live BP one more time off of Drew Smyly on Sunday and, barring no set backs, will start a rehab assignment with the Cubs Triple-A affiliates in Iowa. If all goes well there, Bryant could rejoin the big league club in as soon as a week.

When he does return, it’ll be interesting to see the different lineup constructions Maddon comes up with when Bryant comes back. With such a wide range of versatile hitters, there should be plenty of variations for him to play with.

With everything finally coming together, it’s hard to imagine the Cubs not winning the division at this point. If Bryant can come back and be at least half of his former self, or if he really is an even bigger power threat, then the Cubs are setup for their third straight division title and fourth straight postseason appearance overall.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed in baseball, and fans would be wise to exercise cautious optimism as both the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals aren’t too far behind. But with such close races all throughout the NL, the one certainty that we can count on is that baseball fans are in for quite a finish.

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