Chicago Cubs: Zobrist gone, Russell here for good?
By Jason Parini
Ben Zobrist has been on leave from the Chicago Cubs since May 8. It’s possible that Zo has played his final game as a Cub, ensuring Addison Russell is here to stay.
Ben Zobrist has already cemented his legacy in Chicago Cubs history, and it’s hard to find many Cubs fans who have anything bad to say about the Cubs super-utility man.
After all, it’s possible that the Cubs may not have won the World Series and snapped the curse in 2016 without Zo’s 10th-inning heroics in Cleveland.
Unfortunately, Zobrist has been absent from the team since May 8 due to a “personal matter.” It has since been revealed that Ben and his wife Julianna have filed for divorce.
Now, we’re not here to get into the details of Zobrist’s personal life. At the end of the day, the situation is between Ben, his family, and the Cubs organization.
However, according to Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs are approaching the situation as if Zo will not be returning in 2019.
It’s important to note that this is not implying that he will or will not return to the Cubs this year. It could be a long shot that he doesn’t return, it could be a long shot that he does return.
Nonetheless, the Cubs must plan for the worst-case scenario — that Ben Zobrist will not be with the team this season.
It’s also worth noting that 38-year-old utility man will be a free agent after this season, so there is certainly a possibility that he has already played his final game in a Cubs uniform.
If that is indeed the case, it not only spells unfortunate news for Zobrist but also good news for Addison Russell.
Zobrist’s absence significantly weakens the depth of the middle infield. Even given Russell’s struggles on both sides of the ball, it gives the Cubs even fewer options. Any injury to the team with Zobrist gone would only be compounded without Russell available.
With Zo unavailable, that leaves only Addison Russell, Daniel Descalso and David Bote available at second base on the depth chart. Bote leads all position players in errors on the team.
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Sorry, Zobrist lovers and Russell antagonists. If the situation continues as is, there’s a strong possibility that Zo is gone and Russell is here to stay…at least for 2019.
What happens after this season will depend on many things, from on-field performance to the state of both Zobrist and Russell’s personal lives.
Until then, there are 108 games left in 2019 to help determine the future.
Look on the bright side, Cubs fans. 108 is quite the lucky number for this team. Perhaps there are some more great times on the horizon.