June 9, 2017

Cubs.com, Montgomery joins rotation to face Rockies http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235250904/montgomery-joins-rotation-to-face-rockies/?topicId=26688732

Cubs.com, Bryant homers, but Rockies surge past Cubs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235239158/rockies-dj-lemahieu-homers-to-beat-cubs/?topicId=27118368

Cubs.com, Cubs, Lester look to move past adversity http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235315106/cubs-jon-lester-allows-four-runs-vs-rockies/?topicId=27118368

Cubs.com, Cubs focused on pitching in MLB Draft http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235246210/cubs-may-target-pitching-in-upcoming-draft/

Cubs.com, Hendricks goes on DL with finger injury http://m.mlb.com/news/article/235211646/cubs-kyle-hendricks-on-dl-with-finger-injury/

Cubs.com, MLB seeks answers in Russell abuse claims http://m.mlb.com/news/article/235154238/mlb-looking-into-claims-vs-addison-russell/

Cubs.com, 'Pen has evolved into strength for Cubs http://m.mlb.com/news/article/235172112/cubs-bullpen-is-already-october-ready/

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs hope depth will help them weather uncertainty http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/44539/cubs-hope-depth-will-help-them-weather-uncertainty

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs place Kyle Hendricks on 10-day DL with tendinitis in hand http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19582872/kyle-hendricks-chicago-cubs-disabled-list-hand-tendinitis

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs' Addison Russell denies domestic violence accusation http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19578868/mlb-investigating-domestic-violence-accusation-chicago-cubs-addison-russell

CSNChicago.com, Now Cubs Have To Respond To The Adversity And Move On With Or Without Addison Russell: ‘Real Life Happens All The Time’ http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/now-cubs-have-respond-adversity-and-move-or-without-addison-russell-real-life-happens

CSNChicago.com, Joe Maddon’s Message To Addison Russell As Cubs Deal With Fallout From Domestic-Violence Allegations http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/joe-maddons-message-addison-russell-cubs-deal-fallout-domestic-violence-allegations

CSNChicago.com, Cubs Put Kyle Hendricks On Disabled List And Move Mike Montgomery Into Rotation http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-put-kyle-hendricks-disabled-list-and-move-mike-montgomery-rotation

CSNChicago.com, Addison Russell Denies Abuse Allegation But Cubs Will Keep Their All-Star Shortstop Out Of Uniform For Now http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/addison-russell-denies-abuse-allegation-cubs-will-keep-their-all-star-shortstop-out

Chicago Tribune, Addison Russell absent from Cubs Friday lineup http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-addison-russell-absent-cubs-lineup-20170609-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' starting pitching depth put to the test http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-joe-maddon-mike-montgomery-20170608-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Social media can help athlete's popularity soar, and it can bring him down http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-addison-russell-social-media-sullivan-spt-0609-20170608-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs treating Addison Russell matter with diligence and caution http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-addison-russell-situation-cubs-spt-0609-20170608-story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp3

Chicago Tribune, Theo Epstein, Cubs set proper wait-and-see tone regarding Addison Russell http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-addison-russell-cubs-tone-haugh-spt-0609-20170608-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs loss a basket case as DJ LeMahieu's three-run homer does in Jon Lester http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-rockies-spt-0609-20170608-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Colorado continues NL West dominance of Cubs' offense http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-joe-maddon-20170608-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Addison Russell, Cubs issue statements as MLB looks into domestic abuse allegations http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-addison-russell-domestic-abuse-allegation-20170608-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs place Kyle Hendricks on 10-day DL; Mike Montgomery to start Friday http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-hendricks-disabled-list-20170608-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs confronted with issue we should be talking about no matter what http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-confronted-with-issue-we-should-be-talking-about-no-matter-what/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ Russell denies domestic-violence allegation as MLB investigates http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-russell-denies-domestic-violence-allegation-as-mlb-investigates/

Chicago Sun-Times, Kyle Hendricks DL move, Addison Russell probe test Cubs’ depth, mettle http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-put-rhp-kyle-hendricks-on-10-day-disabled-list/

Chicago Sun-Times, City makes Wrigley security demands of the Cubs — for a change http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/city-makes-wrigley-security-demands-of-the-cubs-for-a-change/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs, Addison Russell react to domestic-violence accusation http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/mlb-to-investigate-domestic-violence-allegation-against-cubs-russell/

Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs' Russell calls allegations 'false and hurtful' http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170608/chicago-cubs-russell-calls-allegations-false-and-hurtful

Daily Herald, Rockies are showing they're no fluke http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170608/rockies-are-showing-theyre-no-fluke

Daily Herald, Hendricks out, Montgomery in Friday for Chicago Cubs http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170608/hendricks-out-montgomery-in-friday-for-chicago-cubs

Daily Herald, Cubs' Addison Russell denies abuse allegations http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170608/cubs-addison-russell-denies-abuse-allegations

-- Cubs.com Montgomery joins rotation to face Rockies By Thomas Harding Hitters have struggled at making hard contact against Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery in 18 relief appearances. He hopes the skill transfers to his start Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field against the Rockies and righty German Marquez. Cubs manager Joe Maddon has wanted to stretch out Montgomery in case he is needed to spell a starter -- he's in Friday because the team placed Kyle Hendricks on the 10-day disabled list with tendon inflammation in his right middle finger. Among pitchers with at least 100 batted balls against this season, Montgomery has the lowest rate of balls with exit speed of 95 mph or greater, at 21 percent. He also has the third-lowest average exit velocity on line drives and fly balls, 88.4 percent. Marquez had gone 4-0 with a 1.46 ERA in four starts from May 10-28. But in his last start, a loss at San Diego, he was hit on the right thumb by a hard smash from Franchy Cordero and struggled with fastball command from there. He struck out a career-high nine but gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings. Things to know about this game • Last time Marquez saw the Cubs, he held them hitless until Kris Bryant's double to open the seventh and in all twirled eight innings with three hits in the Rockies' 3-0 victory May 10. • Montgomery made a spot start against the Rockies last Aug. 20 and went 4 1/3 innings, with the only run coming on Nick Hundley's homer in the Cubs' 9-2 victory at Coors Field. • Pitching his final three innings in pain, Marquez, who usually relies on his fastball, turned to the curve during his last start because it was less affected by the bruised thumb. He threw the curve at his highest rate this season, 28.8 percent. -- Cubs.com Bryant homers, but Rockies surge past Cubs By Thomas Harding and Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- After beating the reigning American League champs, the Indians, in two games, the Rockies didn't blink against the defending World Series champs, the Cubs. DJ LeMahieu belted a three-run homer and Charlie Blackmon hit two doubles, driving in one run, to lift the Rockies to their season-high fifth straight win, a 4-1 victory over the Cubs on Thursday night.

LeMahieu, who came into the game batting .369 against left-handed pitching, connected against Jon Lester in a four-run second inning. Lester was vying for his 150th career win, but instead took the loss and departed after giving up four runs over five innings. "I was just informed that's his second homer in four years off a left-handed fastball," Lester said. "At the end of the day, I'll take me throwing my fastball down and away and a guy hitting an 'oppo' homer. It sucks. We got the loss. We got beat. Tip your hat." The National League West-leading Rockies, with just one winning road season in their history (41-40 in 2009), improved to 22-10 away from Coors Field. For comparison, they won 21 road games the entire 2014 season. The homer was special for LeMahieu, who was selected in the second round by the Cubs eight years ago Friday and traded to the Rockies in December 2011. LeMahieu has burned the Cubs to the tune of a .311 (37-for-119) average, but it was his first homer at The Friendly Confines. "I like playing here, I like playing against these guys," LeMahieu said. "The first homer at Wrigley came at a pretty good time." Colorado starter Tyler Chatwood served up Kris Bryant's 14th homer with one out in the Chicago first and then settled down. The Rockies right-hander gave up three more hits before exiting after six innings. Chatwood is now 4-3 on the road with a 2.53 ERA and has been charged with two earned runs over 21 innings in his last three starts away from home. He's 2-4 with a 7.03 ERA at Coors Field. "He's got it in him to pitch a solid game," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "He's got good stuff. Tonight the key was fastball location, especially down and away to their big left-handed hitters and the slider away to the righty." "The thing about Chatwood, the sinker was that good," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Even though we might have been chasing a little low, the ball was really dive-bombing at the very end, so you have to give him credit." With the win, the Rockies improved to 6-1 this month and 39-23 overall, best in the NL West, while the Cubs remained one game behind the first-place Brewers in the NL Central. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Solo shots: The Cubs need to get runners on base ahead of Bryant. With one out in the Chicago first, he launched an 0-2 pitch from Chatwood to center field for his 14th home run. It was his 11th at Wrigley Field, and he ranks second to the Rockies' Mark Reynolds (12) in homers at home. Twelve of Bryant's homers this season have been solo shots. "I tried to go heater, up, and he [Bryant] beat me on it," Chatwood said. "But with our offense, I don't think one run is going to win a lot of games. So I just had to get us back in the dugout and let us do our thing." Welcome back: Lester struck out the first two batters in the Rockies second but Tony Wolters reached on an infield single and Chatwood singled to set up Blackmon, who dropped a double along the left-field line and just out of reach of shortstop Javier Baez. LeMahieu then launched a 2-1 pitch from Lester into the right-field bleachers for his third homer of the season. Lester felt the Rockies took advantage of everything they could. "You get a two-run bloop double from Blackmon on a really, really good pitch and Javy made an unbelievable effort on that -- I thought there was no chance anybody would get close to it and Javy was close," Lester said. QUOTABLE "Good game, well played on both sides. They hit a three-run homer and we didn't." – Maddon SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Blackmon doubled in the first and second innings and has collected multiple hits in six straight games, tying his career-long streak (Sept. 18-24, 2013). The two six-game streaks are tied for third longest in Rockies history, and it's also the longest in the Majors this year. Blackmon also made a nice running catch of Baez's fly ball to the warning track in center for the first out of the Cubs' seventh. WHAT'S NEXT Rockies: Last time righty German Marquez faced the Cubs, he didn't give up a hit until the seventh and gave up just three in eight innings of a 3-0 Rockies victory May 10. Marquez will face the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday at 12:20 p.m. MT. Cubs: Mike Montgomery will make his first start of the season, subbing for Kyle Hendricks, who has inflammation in the back of his right hand. In Montgomery's last outing Monday, he threw 51 pitches over 3 1/3 innings. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT. -- Cubs.com Cubs, Lester look to move past adversity By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Kyle Hendricks was placed on the disabled list Thursday, and the Cubs aren't sure when shortstop Addison Russell will return. Jon Lester said it's all part of the game. "Baseball is a game of adjustments," Lester said after the Cubs' 4-1 loss to the Rockies. "It's a game that can be cruel to you at times and good to you at times. With Kyle going down and the stuff going on with Addy, that's why we have 25 guys and we'll figure it out." Hendricks was scratched from Friday's start against the Rockies because of inflammation on the back of his right hand. Russell is dealing with allegations of domestic abuse, which were being checked by Major League Baseball. How do the Cubs deal with the adversity? "Depth," manager Joe Maddon said. "It's all about depth. You don't win without depth. We've been pretty good about picking other guys up over the last couple years. The fact you have a [Mike] Montgomery to pick up Hendricks on a start he's going to miss, that's not a bad thing. "The fact you can have Javy [Baez] pick up Addison is not a bad thing," Maddon said. "These are the kind of things you have to expect over the course of the year when your depth is tested." Lester tried to start the four-game series against the Rockies on a positive note and get the focus back to baseball but needed 24 pitches to get through the first inning. His pitch count continued to climb, and he was lifted after throwing 94 pitches over five innings. The Rockies scored all of their runs with two outs in the second on a bloop RBI double by Charlie Blackmon and a three-run homer by DJ LeMahieu. "He's a really good pitcher," LeMahieu said. "He's going to do his thing the majority of the time. We caught him four or five batters in a row where he didn't have his 'A' game and we took advantage of it. He settled in and pitched pretty well after that." The outing ended Lester's streak of 23 straight starts at Wrigley Field allowing three or fewer runs. It also was his first loss at home since May 15, 2016. He knew he'd have to battle after the long first inning.

"You get a two-out bloop double from Blackmon on a really, really good pitch and Javy made an unbelievable effort on that -- I thought there was no chance anybody would get close to it and Javy was close," Lester said. "I was just informed that's [LeMahieu's] second homer in four years off a left-handed fastball. "At the end of the day, I'll take me throwing my fastball down and away and a guy hitting an 'oppo' homer," Lester said. "It sucks. We got the loss. We got beat. Tip your hat." And move on. "You can't dwell on the negatives," Lester said. "You look forward to tomorrow now. Regardless who's on the mound, who's not on the mound, we'll figure it out as we go." -- Cubs.com Cubs focused on pitching in MLB Draft By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- A year ago on the first day of the Draft, the Cubs front office, the scouting department and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder went to the Lake Michigan beach to play a three-man softball game called "Over the Line." The Cubs didn't have a pick that year until the third round at No. 104. "We had nothing to do but pull magnets [of prospects' names] off the board that day," said Jason McLeod, the Cubs' senior vice president of player development and amateur scouting. "I know we won't be doing that this year." On Monday, the Cubs will have two selections in the first round, choosing 27th and 30th. The No. 30 pick is compensation added at the end of the first round for losing Dexter Fowler to free agency. The Cardinals forfeited their first-round pick for signing him. In 2016, the Cubs' first pick was right-handed pitcher Thomas Hatch, selected in the third round, who is currently pitching at Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach. "Sitting there with [president of baseball operations Theo Epstein] last year and watching all these names fly off the board, he was like, 'We're not doing this again,'" McLeod said. "This year, having two picks, it's a lot of fun." The 2017 Draft will take place from Monday through Wednesday, beginning with the Draft preview show on MLB Network and MLB.com at 6 p.m ET. MLB Network will broadcast the first 36 picks (Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A), while MLB.com will stream all 75 picks on Day 1. MLB.com will also provide live pick-by-pick coverage of Rounds 3-10 on Day 2, starting at 1 p.m. ET. Then, Rounds 11-40 can be heard live on MLB.com on June 14, beginning at noon ET. Go to MLB.com/draft to see the Top 200 Prospects list, projected top picks from MLBPipeline.com analysts Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo, the complete order of selection and more. And follow @MLBDraft on Twitter to see what Draft hopefuls, clubs and experts are saying. Here's how the Draft is shaping up for the Cubs, whose first selection is the 27th overall pick: In about 50 words The Cubs have taken position players in the first round since Epstein's first Draft in 2012, and as much as they would like some homegrown pitching talent, McLeod said they will select the player who they feel will make the "most impact" in the organization. The scoop

According to Mayo, the Cubs are interested in shortstop Nick Allen of Parker High School in San Diego. Mayo projects the Cubs will take right-handed pitcher Sam Carlson of Burnsville (Minn.) High School at No. 30. "We're not going to try to invent a pitcher there," McLeod said of their first selection. "I'd love to be talking to you Monday night and say, 'Hey, we've got a pitcher who we're really excited about,' but I don't know if it's going to fall that way. We're going to take the two best players for the organization, and if one of them is a pitcher or both of them are pitchers, it'll be great." First-round buzz McLeod described this year's Draft as being possibly one of the "most volatile years." "You maybe don't have as much top-end college position players as in normal years, there have been injuries to college pitchers, there have been high profile guys taken off their teams, so where does that slot them?" McLeod said. "I think it's more volatile in terms of what teams are going to do in front of us. It makes it a little harder for us to prepare." Money matters To ensure competitive balance, MLB's Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that each team has a bonus pool to spend based upon the number and position of their Draft picks. The more selections a team has and the earlier it picks, the larger the pool. Any club that overspends its budget is subject to taxes and, in extreme cases, a loss of picks in future Drafts. This year, the Cubs have a pool of $7,454,900 to spend in the first 10 rounds, including $2,373,300 to spend on their first selection with the 27th overall pick and $2,184,300 to spend on the 30th pick. Shopping list While the Cubs' last four first-round picks are currently on the Major League roster, the team has yet to have a pitcher who was a Draft pick under Epstein make it to the big leagues for an extended time period. They're looking for pitching, pitching and more pitching. "It's going to be a focal point," McLeod said. "We might be a little more focused on a particular type [of pitcher] rather than just casting a really wide net like we have the last couple of years. When you look up after Tuesday, and we've gone through a few rounds, you'll see a pretty good mix of pitching again." McLeod said they have a specific wish list, although he wouldn't reveal the characteristics. "I feel now we're going to look for something a little more specific -- body type, pitch type, how the arm works," he said. "A lot of that is learning what we've done since we got here. "Pitching does come from all over the Draft, but your dominant starting pitching comes from the top of the Draft. It comes from the top two or three rounds. There are areas of opportunity for later on, whether it's a [Jacob] deGrom or a college reliever who turns into a starter, we're looking at all those avenues. What is it that made this guy who he is now?" The Cubs have taken their share of pitchers. In 2014 when they selected Kyle Schwarber in the first round, 10 of the next 12 picks were pitchers. "More than anything, it's just us needing to be better, especially with the college pitchers, identifying them and developing them when they get to the organization," McLeod said. Trend watch

The emphasis has been not just on quality players but quality people. Kris Bryant, Schwarber, Ian Happ and Albert Almora Jr. not only are talented, but good in the clubhouse and good teammates, and all contributed last year to the Cubs' World Series championship. Plus, the Cubs have used the talent in the system to help in trades. Last July, they dealt top prospect Gleyber Torres to the Yankees for Aroldis Chapman, a key piece to the Cubs' World Series run. Rising fast Chesny Young, 24, a 14th-round pick in the 2014 Draft, has done nothing but hit at whatever level he's at. He spent the offseason playing in the Dominican Winter League, and hit there as well. Young is versatile, a characteristic that Cubs manager Joe Maddon looks for. This spring, Young was invited to the big league Spring Training camp for the first time. Cinderella story You never know where you'll find a big league pitcher. Carl Edwards Jr. was a 48th-round pick by the Rangers in the 2011 Draft out of Prosperity (S.C.) High School. This season, he's been one of the most consistent relievers on the Cubs, and the right-hander has been mentioned as a possible candidate to close down the road. In the show With the promotion of Happ to the big leagues in mid May, the Cubs have five of their last seven first-round picks on the big league team, and one of the two who isn't, right-hander Pierce Johnson, who was taken 43rd overall in 2012, was called up May 19, then sent back to Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs' recent top picks 2016: Thomas Hatch, RHP, Class A Myrtle Beach 2015: Ian Happ, OF, Cubs 2014: Kyle Schwarber, OF, Cubs 2013: Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs 2012: Albert Almora Jr., OF, Cubs -- Cubs.com Hendricks goes on DL with finger injury By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- The Cubs placed right-handed pitcher Kyle Hendricks on the 10-day disabled list Thursday, retroactive to Monday, because of inflammation in a tendon on the back of the middle finger of his right hand. Hendricks was scheduled to start Friday against the Rockies, but now was expected to return for the Cubs' series June 16-18 against the Pirates. Lefty Mike Montgomery will make his first start of the season Friday. "It's something we do not think is serious or long term and that he'll miss this start and should be, we expect, at some point in the Pittsburgh series," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said of Hendricks. Cubs manager Joe Maddon heard about the problem Wednesday but then athletic trainer PJ Mainville contacted him Thursday morning to suggest having Hendricks miss a start.

"If we let it rest right now, it should go away," Maddon said. "That's what we're chosing to do." The Cubs had talked about having Montgomery make a spot start to give the regular five in the rotation a break, and it's just happening a little earlier than expected. The lefty has been stretched out and threw 51 pitches over 3 1/3 innings in his last outing Monday against the Marlins. This will be his first start since last Sept. 15. He started seven games last season for the Cubs. In his career, he's 5-7 with a 4.23 ERA in 23 starts. The Cubs selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Seth Frankoff from Triple-A Iowa, and to make room on the 40-man roster, transferred lefty Brett Anderson to the 60-day disabled list. Anderson went on the DL on May 7 with a lower back strain. He was 2-2 with an 8.18 ERA in six starts with the Cubs and was rehabbing at the team's complex in Mesa, Ariz. Anderson has already been sidelined more than 30 days, and the move is procedural and not because of any setback. Fantasy spin | Fred Zinkie (@FredZinkieMLB) While Hendricks owners are likely disappointed in the right-hander's performance thus far this season (4.09 ERA), even those who are dealing with multiple pitcher injuries should resist the urge to drop the '16 Major League ERA leader (2.13). Shallow-league Hendricks owners can check waivers for a replacement such as Dan Straily or Mike Foltynewicz, while those in deeper leagues can take a look at Zack Godley, Randall Delgado or Dinelson Lamet. -- Cubs.com MLB seeks answers in Russell abuse claims By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Major League Baseball will look into allegations of domestic violence made against Cubs shortstop Addison Russell via social media Wednesday evening. A friend of Russell's wife, Melisa, accused Russell on social media of "mentally and physically" abusing Melisa. Russell issued a statement Thursday. "Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful," Russell said in the statement. "For the well-being of my family, I'll have no further comment." Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said they were made aware of the allegations Wednesday night, and that he and manager Joe Maddon then met with Russell. On Thursday, Epstein referred the matter to Major League Baseball. Epstein also told Russell to stay away from the ballpark so he could devote his attention to dealing with the situation. "Right now this is an allegation by a third party from social media, a serious allegation, and that's why we met immediately with Addison, that's why we referred it immediately to Major League Baseball," Epstein said. "That's why we're taking it very seriously. As of right now, that's what this is. We just don't know -- there's not a lot more we can say." On Wednesday night, Russell's wife posted on Instagram: "Being free to be able to make your own choices for your own happiness beats being cheated on, lied to, & disrespected any day. #herestonewbeginnings #onlygetsbetterfrom here." That post has since been deleted. An All-Star last season, Russell, 23, is batting .209 this season and has been sharing the starting job lately with Javier Baez. Russell did not start Wednesday and before the game, Maddon said Russell was "not at the top of his game right now" but added that he expected him to get back on track.

Maddon said Thursday he listened when he met with Russell after Wednesday's game and then wanted to assure the shortstop that the change in playing time was not because he had not lost confidence in him. "All I wanted him to know from me to him primarily was going into this moment to re-emphasize that I have not lost confidence in him as a player," Maddon said. Maddon said at times like this, he shifts into parental mode. "It's a young man who is in a situation right now and he needs to be heard, I need to hear exactly what's going on, and then I have to try to figure out what my advice would be in return, just like I did with [my son] Joey and what I'm doing with my granddaughter Tyler now," Maddon said. "It's no different. You listen. These are young people; we've all been there, we've all been young and made some really dumb mistakes. I don't know exactly what went on. I want to hear about it as it unfolds but I think the most important thing we do as a parent, as a coach, as a manager, is listen first." Epstein said that in talking to Russell, "his words to me were very consistent with the statement he put out today." Russell's teammates preferred not to comment regarding the allegations. "It's way too early to jump to conclusions," Anthony Rizzo said. "I haven't seen Addison or talked to him. I think Major League Baseball will do what it needs to do to get to the bottom of it." Since MLB instituted its domestic violence policy two years ago, four players have been suspended: Aroldis Chapman, Jose Reyes, Hector Olivera and Jeurys Familia. Each of those situations dealt with a singular incident. This week, Rays catcher Derek Norris' former fiancee accused him of "physical and emotional" abuse in an Instagram post Tuesday. Norris refuted those allegations. -- Cubs.com 'Pen has evolved into strength for Cubs By Phil Rogers CHICAGO -- When Ian Happ blasted a fifth-inning home run off Marlins starter Jose Urena on Wednesday night, Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop and their fellow Cubs relievers did a little dance for the benefit of the bullpen cameras. They were back in action a couple innings later, when Kyle Schwarber reached the seats with an opposite-field homer off David Phelps. But it's not the move to new quarters under the left-field bleachers that has energized the Cubs' relief pitchers. They were an animated bunch as far back as 2015, when Strop used to empty out a bubble-gum bucket and play it like a drum to Starlin Castro's walk-up music. These guys know how to have a good time. The difference for the Cubs this season is how well their bullpen is pitching. While Theo Epstein is always on the lookout for ways to make a good thing better, he shouldn't have to do a midseason rebuild of the Cubs' bullpen this time around, as he's done the past couple of years. That's a credit to the job being done by Wade Davis and a handful of other relievers who weren't with the Cubs this time last season -- the homegrown Carl Edwards Jr. and imports Mike Montgomery, Koji Uehara and Brian Duensing. They've turned what previously was a weakness into the strength of a stuck-in-second gear Cubs team. Manager Joe Maddon said so the other day. "The pitching has not been that awful," Maddon said. "For me it hasn't been, by any means. We have a lot of good [starters] and they're gotten progressively better. The bullpen has been really good. Not just pedestrian, but really good."

Epstein has never been a big believer in doing top-end contracts with relievers. That's why he didn't compete to keep Aroldis Chapman after sending Gleyber Torres to the Yankees to get him last July. But it will be interesting to see if Epstein digs deep to keep the 31-year-old Davis from hitting the free-agent market this offseason. Nothing against Kenley Jansen, Zach Britton, Andrew Miller, Mark Melancon or Chapman, but Davis has quietly been the best reliever in the Major Leagues since 2014, when Ned Yost and the Royals assigned him permanently to the bullpen. Davis' numbers over almost three and a half seasons aren't just great, they're obscene. He's worked 203 innings over 206 appearances as a setup man or closer, compiling a 1.15 ERA and ratios of 5.0 hits, 0.2 home runs and 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Davis' 360 ERA+ in this extended period is better than Mariano Rivera's from 2008 (316), which is considered his best season. Since taking over for Greg Holland as Kansas City's closer, Davis has gone 56 for 60 in save situations. That includes a 12-for-12 performance this season, with an 0.79 WHIP and 0.89 ERA over 20 1/3 innings. But while Davis is the headliner, his supporting cast has been almost as impressive. Getting leads to the closer (Hector Rondon in 2015, Chapman last year) has been an issue for the Cubs under Maddon, with the bullpen as a whole ranking second in the National League with a 3.06 ERA. To use Maddon's barometer, the bullpen wasn't "awful" the previous two seasons, but it was a hands-on-the-wheel experience for Epstein's front office. Travis Wood, Strop and Rondon accumulated 387 appearances in 2015-16, getting the job done far more often than not. But the heavy use of Chapman last October indicated how fragile confidence in relievers can be. Edwards, the skinny right-hander with the wicked four-seam fastball, was promoted from Triple-A Iowa in late June last season. He and Montgomery, who was acquired from the Mariners for Dan Vogelbach and Paul Blackburn on July 20, were the two setup men Maddon trusted the most last fall, and they've been consistently excellent this season. Both are worthy of All-Star consideration, although Edwards is the one with numbers that could be impossible to ignore. He's allowed only six hits over 22 2/3 innings (with 11 walks and 31 strikeouts) in 25 appearances. Uehara, the 42-year-old former Red Sox closer, and Duensing were signed as free agents last offseason. They're holding up well alongside Strop and Rondon, giving Maddon the luxury of a seven-deep cast. Grimm has been up and down between Wrigley and Triple-A, and the Cubs love the job lefty Zac Rosscup is doing at Iowa. None of this means Epstein won't add an arm in July; that's what he does. But he's not going to need to trade a top prospect like Torres to get his bullpen ready for October. Maddon's got the pieces he needs to win a second straight NL Central and head into October looking to win it all again. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs hope depth will help them weather uncertainty By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon used one word when asked about the potential adversity his team is facing without two of the main cogs from last year’s championship squad. "Depth," Maddon said after his team's 4-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies. "It's all about depth. You don't win without depth. That happens on an annual basis."

The Cubs will need that depth because no one is sure when Addison Russell will return to the field, as Major League Baseball is investigating accusations of domestic violence against the Cubs shortstop. Starter Kyle Hendricks was a surprise scratch from his scheduled start Friday because of tendinitis in his right hand. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list but shouldn't miss more than one start. On the schedule, the Cubs are staring at three more games against the Rockies, one of the best teams in the National League so far this year. Then they have a stretch in which 17 of their 20 games will be on the road. In 2017, the Cubs have an 11-16 record away from Wrigley. "Baseball is a game of adjustments," Thursday's losing pitcher, Jon Lester, said. "It's a game that can be cruel to you at times and really good to you at times. ... With Kyle going down, all this stuff going on with Addy (Russell), that's why we have 25 guys. We'll figure it out. You can't worry about stuff you can't control." After the game, Maddon made a point of saying that the energy in the dugout Thursday was no different, despite the pregame focus on Russell. In the first inning, Lester got out of a jam, and in the bottom half of the inning, Kris Bryant homered for an early 1-0 lead. But the offense shut down after the Bryant home run, and Lester gave up a two-out, four-run rally the next inning. After five wins in a row at home, Chicago has given two games back with a tough stretch of the schedule looming. "The fact that you have [Mike] Montgomery to pick up Hendricks on a start that he's going to miss, that's not a bad thing," Maddon said. "The fact you have Javy [Baez] to pick up Addison -- not a bad thing. "These are the things you have to expect over the course of the year. And we have good depth. Maddon isn't wrong, though the depth on the starting staff hasn't been tested this much since the team became a contender. The Cubs just lost a game with their ace on the mound, Montgomery will get his first start since last season, and former Rockies prospect Eddie Butler gets his turn on Saturday. "You can't dwell on the negatives," Lester said. "We'll figure it out as we go." Yet there's a different feel to this season, as almost nothing about this year has felt like the last one. After struggles early, there has been hope that the team will find another gear. But it hasn't happened. And while Hendricks should return soon, the Cubs don't know about Russell. No one knows if the current uncertainty will have long-term ramifications. "I thought the guys handled everything well today," Maddon said of the team's approach. "I'm proud of the way we did handle it." -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs place Kyle Hendricks on 10-day DL with tendinitis in hand By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs placed last year's MLB ERA leader, Kyle Hendricks, on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday with right hand tendinitis. The Cubs were hopeful the righty will miss only one start. "Inflammation along the back of the tendon of his right middle finger on his hand," Cubs president Theo Epstein said. "We don't think it's serious or long-term."

Hendricks, 27, first told the team about some pain in his hand on Wednesday after throwing a bullpen session. He has had an up-and-down year after leading the majors with a 2.13 ERA in 2016. Before going on the DL he compiled a 4-3 mark with a 4.09 ERA. "We felt that it's something you really don't want to press because it can become a little more chronic or bothersome," Cubs manager Joe Maddon stated. "If we let it rest right now it should go away." Hendricks was scheduled to start on Friday but lefty Mike Montgomery will take his place in the rotation. The team recalled righty Seth Frankoff from Triple-A Iowa to take Hendricks' spot on the roster. He has a 2.77 ERA in 11 appearances this season, including nine starts. Hendricks' DL stint is retroactive to Monday so he could pitch when his next turn is up in the rotation next weekend in Pittsburgh. To make room for Frankoff, the Cubs transferred right-handed starter Brett Anderson to the 60-day disabled list. Anderson is recovering from a lower-back strain. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Addison Russell denies domestic violence accusation By Staff Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell on Thursday denied an accusation of domestic violence against his wife amid a Major League Baseball investigation. In a post on Instagram, Russell's wife, Melisa, accused her husband of cheating and implied that the couple was breaking up. A comment related to the post from someone Melisa Russell identifies as a close friend accused the player of physically abusing his wife. During Wednesday night's Cubs game against the Marlins, in which Addison Russell did not play, Melisa Russell posted a photo of herself in a bathing suit in a body of water. The text read: "Being free to be able to make your own choices for your own happiness beats being cheated on, lied to, & disrespected any day. #herestonewbeginnings #onlygetsbetterfromhere" The post and subsequent comment have since been deleted. "Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful," Russell said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon. "For the well-being of my family, I'll have no further comment." Russell, 23, was given the day off Thursday and was not with the Cubs for their game against the Colorado Rockies. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Russell would be held out of the lineup as the investigation plays out. "Last night, we were made aware of a serious claim posted on social media about Addison Russell," the Cubs said in a statement Thursday. "We reached out to Major League Baseball and, following the protocol established by MLB, will fully cooperate with the Commissioner's Office as it gathers pertinent facts. Addison will not be in uniform tonight to allow him to work through this matter." Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Associated Press that the department "does not have any current investigation" into Russell or allegations of domestic violence. Spokesman Patrick Courtney says MLB is looking into the situation. Maddon said he spoke to Russell on Wednesday night and then "just listened" as he sat with Russell and president Theo Epstein. "There's not a whole lot for me to know. There really isn't," Maddon said. "All I wanted him to know from me to him is primarily going into this moment to re-emphasize I have not lost confidence in him as a player." Maddon also said the team got together as a group "so the guys, if they wanted to say or ask anything, they could."

Epstein said Russell's comments to him after Wednesday's game were "very consistent'' with the statement he issued. Epstein added that the Cubs also reached out to Melisa Russell, although he would not provide any more details on that. Reigning National League MVP Kris Bryant said he was surprised to hear about the allegations. "Yeah, I think anytime you hear something like that, it is shocking," Bryant said Thursday. "... I want to be a good teammate. Always want to be there to help. Addy is going to find a way to handle it. Like I said, we are all going to learn from it, hopefully be better for it. "We don't know what happened. I don't know what's happened. It's early. ... It is just unfortunate." In 2015, the league and the players' union agreed to a new, more rigorous domestic violence policy. Former Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman was suspended 30 games under the policy last season. Mets closer Jeurys Familia, infielder Jose Reyes and Braves outfielder Hector Olivera have also received lengthy suspensions under the policy. After an All-Star season for the championship Cubs last season, Russell has struggled this year. Entering Thursday's play, Russell was batting .209 with 3 home runs and 19 RBIs, and his errors are up. Javier Baez has been seeing more time at shortstop, including the start Thursday night. Russell started at shortstop in 141 of the 148 games he played last season. Baez made 21 starts at shortstop all of last season, but Thursday night marked his 13th already this season. -- CSNChicago.com Now Cubs Have To Respond To The Adversity And Move On With Or Without Addison Russell: ‘Real Life Happens All The Time’ By Patrick Mooney It’s probably too simple to say the Cubs played distracted on Thursday night at Wrigley Field. It’s also not really an exaggeration to suggest the defending World Series champs could be in crisis mode. The Cubs held a brief team meeting before a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies, getting an update on Addison Russell’s situation and a reminder on how to handle questions about domestic-violence allegations they don’t have answers for now. This is unchartered territory, a third-party accusation on Instagram that has since been deleted, a relatively new Major League Baseball policy that gives commissioner Rob Manfred a lot of latitude and little precedent and the Cubs not knowing when their All-Star shortstop will return. “We have great clubhouse chemistry, but real life happens all the time,” team president Theo Epstein said. “Sometimes, it reaches the light of day, and sometimes it doesn’t. But there are serious situations that come up throughout the course of a season and right now we’re dealing with a very serious allegation. “We’ll see where it develops. But, yeah, it’s not always just baseball in there. Everybody has a personal life. The real world happens every day to guys and they know how to deal with it and still play the game.” Three-plus hours after the Cubs announced Kyle Hendricks would be going on the disabled list with a hand injury, the first-place Rockies jumped their other Cy Young Award finalist from last year. Jon Lester watched ex-Cub DJ LeMahieu – a rare miss from the early days of the Epstein administration – launch a two-out, three-run homer into the right-field basket that gave Colorado a 4-1 lead in the second inning. This kind of night: Lester was informed that LeMahieu had hit only one other home run off a left-handed fastball within the last four years.

“Baseball is a game of adjustments,” Lester said. “It’s a game that can be cruel to you at times and be really good to you at times. With Kyle doing down, all the stuff going on with Addie, you know what, that’s why we’ve got 25 guys and we’ll figure it out. You can’t worry about stuff you can’t control. “The next guy will step in and hopefully fill that void. That’s all you can really do in this game. You can’t dwell on the negatives and you look forward to tomorrow.” Even if the Cubs sound optimistic about Hendricks, there are now questions up and down the rotation, from how Mike Montgomery transitions out of the bullpen to where Jake Arrieta goes from here to how much John Lackey (5.12 ERA) has left at the age of 38 to if Eddie Butler can stick in the big leagues after failing with the Rockies. Sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals last weekend now feels like ancient history for a 30-29 team near the beginning of a 30-games-in-31-days stretch between June 2 and July 2 that hasn’t even gotten into the 17 road games in five different cities yet. “It’s all about depth,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You don’t win without depth. That happens on an annual basis. We’ve been pretty good regarding picking other guys up over the last couple years. “These are the kind of things you have to expect during the course of the year.” It would be foolish to write off the Cubs when they are only one game out of first place in a weak division. Javier Baez might wind up being a better shortstop than Russell and Epstein could trade for a big-time starter before the July 31 deadline. But it’s also probably time to slow down the Cubs Way narrative about the organization’s emphasis on character and makeup after rationalizing Aroldis Chapman’s 30-game suspension under MLB’s domestic-violence policy and making that blockbuster trade with the New York Yankees last summer. “I think they’re distinct at this time,” Epstein said. “With Aroldis Chapman, it was a player who had served his discipline and had undergone the disciplinary action through the program. “He was somebody who we then spent a lot of time doing our own research on whether we thought he had grown from the incident and moved on and could be a productive member of our clubhouse and a good citizen while with the Cubs. “This is an allegation by a third party on social media. They are distinct situations, but they both fall under the same general umbrella. And because the nature of the allegation is very serious, we are taking it very seriously.” All the players can do is shrug their shoulders, get through the initial media wave and go back to work. “We’re human beings,” said Anthony Rizzo, the face-of-the-franchise first baseman. “We’re put on this high level, but things happen off the field that usually don’t get this far to the media. Things are going on all the time, on and off the field. You learn to deal with it. “I love Addison. We’ve had some really good memories together, but I don’t know. I love him here. I don’t know what’s going on outside of this.” -- CSNChicago.com Joe Maddon’s Message To Addison Russell As Cubs Deal With Fallout From Domestic-Violence Allegations By Patrick Mooney Cubs manager Joe Maddon went into listening mode on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field when team president Theo Epstein sat down with All-Star shortstop Addison Russell to discuss a situation that had exploded on social media.

“I don’t react, because I don’t know anything yet,” Maddon said Thursday after Russell released a statement through the team that denied any allegation he abused his wife, Melisa, who accused him of infidelity in an Instagram post. “I’m really a person who likes to believe I listen without judgment. I try not to jump to conclusions. “In a situation like this where it’s very easy to be accusatory, I choose not to be. I choose to listen. And I don’t make up my mind about anything until I’ve gathered all the facts. “So that’s where I’m at with this – I don’t know enough to know one way or another how I feel about it. Except just keep an open mind, listen to what’s going on and then make our determinations.” Major League Baseball began a fact-finding mission after a woman seen as close to Russell’s wife made the allegations in a comment on the Instagram post. That action that now falls under the collective bargaining agreement’s domestic-violence protocol and commissioner Rob Manfred’s office. Maddon said he was completely unaware of any personal issues when he recently began rotating Russell and Javier Baez at shortstop. Russell is hitting .209 with a .626 OPS after producing 21 homers and 95 RBI for a championship team during his age-22 season. “It just seemed like his game was off a little bit,” Maddon said. “I’m not a big question-asker. I’m just watching. I just thought the best way to deal with this was to give him time off, so that they could work through what I thought was physical stuff. “I felt that there was something bothering him. I didn’t know exactly what it was, and then I thought it was wise to not play him too much. So I wanted him to understand from me to him that it was not a confidence issue with me to him as a baseball player.” Maddon wanted to free up more time for Russell to work with hitting coach John Mallee – without the pressure of getting ready for a game that night – and described their interactions as normal. “I’m not with him away from the field,” Maddon said. “When I talk to him in the dugout, I do my fist-bumps before the game. I talk to him by the batting cage. “My biggest concern was that he knew why I was doing what I was doing, that I did not lose confidence in him. I tried to explain to him that I’ve done this with young players in the past. Again, either fight through it or give him time. And my estimation was to back and forth him with Javy.” Maddon doesn’t know how long the Cubs will be playing with a 24-man roster or when Russell might return, but either way he won’t be rushing to judgment. “These are young people,” Maddon said. “We’ve all been there. We’ve all been young, making some really dumb mistakes. We’ve all done the same thing. I don’t know exactly what went on. I want to hear about it as it unfolds. But, again, I think the most important thing we do as a parent, as a coach, as a manager is to listen first.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Put Kyle Hendricks On Disabled List And Move Mike Montgomery Into Rotation By Patrick Mooney In the middle of a whirlwind afternoon, the Cubs announced that Kyle Hendricks will go on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation along the tendon on the back of his right middle finger. This would normally be major news – a hand injury for a pitcher who won an ERA title, became a Cy Young Award finalist and earned a World Series ring last year – but not so much against the backdrop of Addison Russell’s domestic dispute and Major League Baseball’s fact-finding investigation.

“It’s something that we do not think is serious or long term,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said Thursday, expecting Hendricks to be available at some point during next weekend’s series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mike Montgomery – the versatile lefty the Cubs believe can someday transition from valuable swingman to frontline starter – will face the first-place Colorado Rockies on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs will also add Triple-A Iowa right-hander Seth Frankoff to their bullpen. -- CSNChicago.com Addison Russell Denies Abuse Allegation But Cubs Will Keep Their All-Star Shortstop Out Of Uniform For Now By Patrick Mooney Caught in the middle of a social-media storm and Major League Baseball’s stronger policy on domestic violence, Cubs All-Star shortstop Addison Russell released a statement Thursday that denied an abuse accusation leveled in an Instagram comment. “Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful,” Russell said. “For the well-being of my family, I’ll have no further comment.” The Cubs didn’t suspend Russell, telling him to stay away from Wrigley Field and handle his personal business, keeping him out of uniform for that night’s game against the Colorado Rockies. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein said his understanding is the police are not involved “at this time” in the Russell matter: “But I would not necessarily know.” Epstein also couldn’t say when Russell might return to the lineup. A source close to Russell said technically “there is no investigation to speak of now,” framing it as a fact-finding stage under a collective bargaining agreement that gives commissioner Rob Manfred broader powers to impose discipline in these cases. Epstein became aware that Russell’s estranged wife, Melisa, spilled details about their marriage Wednesday night, calling him out as a cheater on Instagram. The rumblings about Russell’s off-the-field issues burst to the surface when a woman believed to be one of Melisa’s close friends made the third-party accusation with a comment on the post. Epstein met with Russell and manager Joe Maddon after a loss to the Miami Marlins and alerted MLB on Thursday morning. That image and the unidentified woman’s Instagram account were deleted after it caught fire on the Internet. “It’s honestly at such an early stage,” Epstein said, “that I don’t think it would be appropriate to do anything other than say we’re going to let it develop and then act as appropriately as we can. We care about all the parties involved and hope for the best. “But making any judgment, I think, would be inappropriate at this very early stage.” Epstein said the organization is limited in terms of conducting its own internal probe and will leave it up to Manfred’s office, which got its first test case before the beginning of last season, suspending New York Yankees closer/future Cub Aroldis Chapman for 30 games without South Florida prosecutors filing criminal charges after a domestic dispute. “It’s exclusively the territory of Major League Baseball,” Epstein said. “We did, of course, meet with Addison and reach out to his wife as well. But per the policy, it has to stop there and any investigative action is exclusively the territory of MLB.”

Russell is 23 years old and exceptionally quiet in the clubhouse. He clearly hasn’t been performing up to the level that made him a 21-homer, 95-RBI force and a Gold Glove finalist last season, now hitting .209, lacking the same strong defensive presence and dealing with this cloud over his name. “I would say the Addison Russell that we know is somebody that is a young kid who’s doing his best to be a really good citizen and a really good player,” Epstein said. “I think anything I say right now will be sort of viewed through the lens of this allegation – and it’s at such an early stage – that before I say any more I’d rather let this play out, out of fairness to Addison and fairness to the Cubs.” -- Chicago Tribune Addison Russell absent from Cubs Friday lineup By Paul Skrbina Addison Russell was not in the Cubs starting lineup for Friday’s game against the Rockies, a day after allegations of domestic violence allegations against the shortstop were made public. In a statement released by the team Thursday, Russell called the allegations, which were made on social media by a friend of his wife, “false and hurtful.” The Cubs said they contacted Major League Baseball upon learning of the claims and “will fully cooperate with the commissioner’s office.” As of Friday morning, Russell had not been disciplined by the team. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' starting pitching depth put to the test By Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon didn’t seem too worried by the prospect of starting left-hander Mike Montgomery and Eddie Butler in the next two games as the Chicago Cubs try to snap a two-game losing streak Friday against the Colorado Rockies. “It’s all about depth,” said Maddon, who is inclined to start Javier Baez at shortstop Friday regardless of whether a decision is made on Addison Russell, who currently is not with the team while addressing spousal abuse allegations made by a third party. “You don’t win without depth.” Montgomery will be starting in place of Kyle Hendricks, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to soreness on top of his right pitching hand. Montgomery made seven starts for the Cubs in the final two months, posting a 1-1 record and 3.28 ERA. Butler’s start Saturday will be against his former team, which designated him for assignment before trading him to the Cubs two weeks before spring training. Butler said he planned to talk to former teammates Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon but vowed to keep any emotions out of his start. “Once the game starts and the lights come on, it will turn around and you get in the game mode,” said Butler, who is 3-1 with a 3.75 ERA in five starts. “You can’t worry about anybody. So just go out there and do your job. You can

be friends with them off the field, but it’s me and my team versus you and your team. I’m still going to try to kick the (heck) out of you.” Butler, who took the spot of injured left-hander Brett Anderson, hasn’t harbored any bitterness over his former club. “I’m happy where I’m at,” Butler said. “I’m enjoying my time here. I’m around a great group of guys and we’re having fun. I see (the Rockies) on TV. They’re leading the West. I’m happy for my buddies but when it comes down to me versus you, and I’m playing for me. I’m trying to win.” -- Chicago Tribune Social media can help athlete's popularity soar, and it can bring him down By Paul Sullivan After A's prospect Addison Russell was traded to the Cubs in the summer of 2014, his Twitter following rose from 6,500 to 14,000 in three days. He wasn't even a Cub yet, but Cubs Nation already was welcoming him into the fold. "As far as Twitter goes, their fan base is awesome," Russell said shortly after reporting to Double-A Tennessee. "They're DMing me and tweeting at me and stuff. It's awesome. It's something I'd like to learn about the Chicago Cubs." Russell soon became a fixture on social media, and as his star rose with the Cubs, so did his following. On Thursday he had more than 256,000 followers on Twitter, and another 356,000 on Instagram. But just as social media helped fuel Russell's popularity, it also has the power to take it all away. Russell's golden reputation took a hit Wednesday night when allegations of domestic abuse were posted in the comments section of his wife Melisa's Instagram account. Despite a denial Russell issued through the Cubs, and the fact no legal action has been taken so far involving him and his wife, it's going to be difficult for Russell to get that reputation back without any noticeable dents. A Major League Baseball investigation will try to get to the bottom of things, and Russell could face a lengthy suspension if the allegations are determined true. But even if the third party claim of a "friend" is deemed baseless, will Cubs' fans look at Russell the same way again? Will they buy his jersey for their kids? Wait in line for his autograph? Ask him to pose for selfies? Time will tell how it all plays out. But the Russell saga proves that social media can take down an athlete in an instant, no matter how famous or likeable in public he or she is. Social media didn't cause Russell's problems, but it certainly amplified them. Cubs President Theo Epstein wisely told Russell not to come to the park on Thursday, though he pointed out Russell was not suspended. "Right now this is an allegation through a third party on social media," Epstein said. "A serious allegation. That's why we met immediately with Addison. That's why we referred it immediately to Major League Baseball. That's why we're taking it very seriously." Russell was the second player to be part of a MLB domestic abuse investigation this week, following an investigation into Rays' catcher Derek Norris.

Whether it's a coincidence or not, Norris' former fiancee also took to Instagram to make her allegation, writing she was "physically and emotionally abused by this beautiful man." Norris denied the allegation, in a statement, though her post remained on her page. Russell's problems really began when his wife suggested in a post he was unfaithful, writing: "Being free to be able to make your own choices for your own happiness beats being cheated on, lied to, & disrespected any day." Had Melisa Russell's Instagram post not included the domestic abuse charge from her "friend," we probably wouldn't be talking about his alleged infidelity here, leaving that to websites which deal with salacious gossip about the rich and famous. Players' lives outside the clubhouse are traditionally off-limits to the mainstream media, who tend to turn a blind eye when they see someone they cover with a woman who is not his wife. We're not the morals police, and it's none of anyone's business if they're jerks off-the-field. But with social media, it's suddenly everyone's business. This is the age we're living in, for better or worse. Russell's teammates are in a bind. They're trying to say the right thing without addressing innocence or guilt because they probably aren't sure themselves. "I love Addison and we have some really good memories together," Anthony Rizzo said. "But I don't know what's going on outside of this (clubhouse)." Kris Bryant said he hasn't paid close attention to the situation, and though he knew it was "obviously a serious matter," he didn't know enough about it to speculate. "I try to stay out of my teammates' personal lives," Bryant said. "I don't know if anything else has come out. None of us here really know much about it." Rizzo, Bryant and many other Cubs use social media to have fun or help with their "brand." Teams constantly are monitoring players' feeds, and they are all well aware of what social media can do to an athlete's image. Kyle Schwarber is on Twitter and Instagram, but said he only uses social media to promote events or appearances, and doesn't read comments people post on his accounts, especially if he's not hitting. "I stay away from that," he said. "It can only be negative stuff." Not always, but enough to make you think about ditching your phone. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs treating Addison Russell matter with diligence and caution By Author Carl Edwards Jr. said teammate Addison Russell was in "high spirits" during a chat Thursday. But he and Russell, the Cubs' struggling shortstop, didn't discuss domestic abuse allegations a third party made through social media off an Instagram post from his wife that has precipitated a Major League Baseball investigation. "Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful," Russell said in a statement released through the Cubs. "For the well-being of my family, I'll have no further comment."

Cubs players were informed of Russell's situation in a meeting with President Theo Epstein and manager Joe Maddon. Now they face the prospect of trying to keep their focus on securing their second consecutive National League Central title without their embattled shortstop. Epstein and Maddon said they spoke Wednesday night with Russell, the starting shortstop for the NL in the 2016 All-Star Game, after Epstein learned of the allegations. Epstein also spoke with Melisa Russell, Addison's wife, before alerting MLB of the matter, per MLB policy. He told Russell to stay away from Wrigley Field on Thursday to devote his time to addressing the matter. Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Associated Press the department "does not have any current investigation" into Russell or allegations of domestic violence. Russell isn't suspended or being disciplined, but the Cubs could place him on an inactive list if he needs time to address the matter and meets certain criteria. "We're going to see how the situation develops and how he's doing," said Epstein, who declined to divulge details of his conversation with Melisa Russell. Epstein said Russell's comments to him were consistent with his statement, but the immediacy of the probe has left management and players in an ocean of uncertainty. The only kernel of clarity was that at least Maddon admitted something was amiss with Russell, whose batting average sank from .291 on April 25 to .209, with Javier Baez taking the majority of playing time at shortstop over the last 10 days. "Something was not quite right in his game, and sometimes when that occurs, there are other things that bother you," Maddon said. He said he has given Russell more time off in the last two weeks to devote to improving his hitting and fielding. "I was just guessing (something was wrong)," Maddon said. "I knew his game was off for a particular reason, but away from the field I had no clue because I was not with him." Russell, who didn't start in any of the three games at Colorado on May 8-10, spent more than 30 minutes in Maddon's office before the series finale. And during a multiplayer switch in the seventh inning of Wednesday's loss to the Marlins, Ben Zobrist replaced Baez at shortstop instead of Russell. Kyle Schwarber, who snapped out of a rut with his first three-hit game Wednesday, dampened speculation until more facts surface. "There's a lot of early stuff going on," Schwarber said. "We don't know all the facts, and we'll keep it that way. "I've been struggling. You know how that goes." Nearly every Cubs player in the clubhouse before the game spoke of his support for Russell. "I'm always going to support him," said Edwards, who had dinner with Russell after the Cubs' loss May 29 in San Diego. "He's like my best friend. He's like a little brother. I support him, regardless of wrong or right. I'm not going to look at him any different." Said Jake Arrieta: "Of course we support him. He's a big part of our team. But other than that, there's really not much to say about it at this point."

If MLB finds enough evidence to warrant an official investigation, the Cubs will need to keep Baez — their best defender who can play multiple positions — at shortstop for a lengthy period and limit the opportunities for Maddon to shift Zobrist from second base to the outfield. Maddon raves about Baez's arm strength but prefers Russell's steadier defense at short. The Cubs could make a decision soon on Russell, especially since they played short-handed Thursday night against the Rockies and are carrying 13 pitchers. Maddon feels confident the team can maintain its focus on the field while Russell's situation is being resolved. Maddon said the Cubs could treat the Russell situation with the propeer respect and take care of business on the field at the same time. Epstein doesn't downplay the seriousness of the allegations. "It's important to watch our words and be respectful, especially in a situation like this where we care about all the parties involved (in) such a serious allegation," Epstein said. Several local media members have fawned over the Cubs' being able to draft and develop young players with mega talent and high character. Epstein chose his words carefully when asked about the maturity of Russell, 23, whom the Cubs acquired nearly three years ago from the Athletics as the focal point of a five-player trade. "The Addison Russell we know is somebody who is a young kid doing his best to be a really good citizen and a good player," Epstein said. But Epstein suddenly paused, then added, "Anything I say now will be viewed through the lens of allegations at an early stage." -- Chicago Tribune Theo Epstein, Cubs set proper wait-and-see tone regarding Addison Russell By David Haugh His presence lacked familiar command and his words carried less conviction than usual Thursday at an uncomfortable news conference at Wrigley Field, yet Cubs President Theo Epstein came away looking as smart as ever. Somehow, Epstein's awkwardness seemed appropriate for the occasion. An uncharacteristically shaky Epstein spoke for 10 minutes about the troubling saga of Cubs shortstop Addison Russell, the subject of a Major League Baseball investigation into allegations of domestic abuse made by a friend of his wife in an Instagram post. In carefully navigating a minefield full of assumptions he cannot make, Epstein neither supported nor abandoned Russell because the best crisis managers know what they don't know — and the facts remain too scarce for any of us to form conclusions. "It's honestly at such an early stage that I don't think it would be appropriate to do anything other than say we're going to let it develop and act as appropriately as we can,'' Epstein said. "We care about all the parties involved. Making any judgment would be inappropriate.'' That was the message Epstein successfully delivered to Cubs players before Thursday's game against the Rockies in a rare team meeting. Notably absent was Russell, ordered to stay home — but Epstein refused to call the edict a suspension or predict how long it would last. Remember, the league's stiff new policy on domestic violence, collectively bargained, permits the commissioner to discipline a player even in the absence of legal action.

Russell adamantly defended himself in a statement issued through the team. "Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful,'' said Russell, the father of two. "For the well-being of my family, I'll have no further comment." Life was much simpler for the 23-year-old Russell when reporters were asking about his Pokemon card collection. And by Thursday's first pitch, the Cubs longed for the days when their biggest worry was Kyle Schwarber's batting average. Suddenly, a team full of millennials seemingly with the world at their feet was reminded of the importance of watching every step. "Just baseball questions,'' outfielder Jason Heyward announced to the crowd of reporters. Some of Russell's teammates were more accommodating. Kris Bryant called it a "tough situation" and said he believed it was important as a team leader to face reporters in the name of accountability. Albert Almora Jr. apologized for not knowing about the news until he arrived at the ballpark. Anthony Rizzo spoke of the professionalism Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts expects from players and sought more information before making any declarations. "You just want to find out what's going on,'' Rizzo said. "I love (Russell) here, but I don't know what's going on outside of this clubhouse.'' Anybody who came into the Cubs clubhouse looking for unconditional support for Russell walked out still looking. Consider that progress. No team can claim to take the issue of domestic violence seriously and blindly back a player accused of it, especially a team that 11 months ago traded for a player once suspended for domestic abuse, Aroldis Chapman. Perhaps having learned from that uneasy experience, the Cubs showed more sensitivity handling Russell's uncertainty than Chapman's arrival. In discussing Russell, most Cubs wisely followed their leader, Epstein, and found the gray area between withholding judgment and being supportive. On a team that uses social-media platforms to document Bryant's wedding and Rizzo's engagement, ignoring the potential impact of an Instagram post would have been hypocritical. "The Addison Russell that we know is somebody who is a young kid doing his best to be a really good citizen and really good player,'' Epstein said cautiously. "I'd rather let this play out of fairness to Addison and fairness to the Cubs.'' That wasn't exactly, "We've got your back no matter what, Addy.'' Professional athletes typically start losing respect for players who let off-the-field issues interfere with on-the-field performance, not that any Cubs admitted as much. Manager Joe Maddon struck the most positive note about Russell, vowing to keep his mind and ears open to a player hitting .209 he acknowledged "wasn't quite right" lately. "In a situation like this where it's very easy to be accusatory, I choose not to be,'' Maddon said. "I choose to listen. I don't know enough to know one way or another how I feel about this.'' Maddon met with Russell after Wednesday's game before Epstein approached the shortstop about the allegation levied during the Cubs' 6-5 loss to the Marlins. In a response to a comment on a photo of Russell's wife, Melisa, who alleged Russell cheated on her, family friend Carlie Reed opened a private spat for public view and instantly created national headlines. "Hateful is cheating on your wife, mentally and physically abusing her,'' Reed wrote. "Melisa didn't want that out but I'll say it. He hit her. In front of (kids) Aiden and Mila.''

Immediately, Epstein considered the accusations serious enough to take the initiative and contact the league. Team officials privately had worried about Russell's personal maturation last season, a source said, but never imagined him as the type of guy capable of being at the center of a controversy like this. Whatever this turns out to be. "I just think you have to be patient and let the facts develop,'' Epstein said. On that, Epstein was certain — and correct. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs loss a basket case as DJ LeMahieu's three-run homer does in Jon Lester By Chris Kuc Jon Lester loves almost everything about pitching at Wrigley Field, though the veteran left-hander could have done without one of the ballpark's iconic idiosyncrasies Thursday night against the Rockies. "It's a cool place to pitch," Lester said after the Cubs fell 4-1 on a picturesque evening on the North Side. "I would have liked (Thursday night) for the basket not to be there." The basket in right field was where DJ LeMahieu deposited a three-run homer that combined with a strong pitching effort from Tyler Chatwood and the Rockies bullpen to hand the Cubs their second consecutive loss as the teams kicked off a four-game series. "I was just informed that it was (LeMahieu's) second homer in the last four years off a left-handed fastball — so that's always fun," a chagrined Lester said. The loss snapped Lester's 12-game home winning streak and he allowed four runs at the venerable ballpark for the first time since Sept. 20, 2015, snapping a streak of 23 starts allowing three or fewer at home. It was Lester's first loss at Wrigley since May 15, 2016. "I've had blips here and there in my career but for the most part I've pitched pretty well at home," Lester said. "You always want to try to get (the home crowd) excited to 'say, hey so-and-so is pitching tonight.'" Lester allowed the four runs on six hits with a walk and five strikeouts over five innings. "Jon was really good, actually," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "They hit the one homer. Otherwise, he had a pretty good outing. They hit a three-run homer and we didn't." The Cubs did manage a Kris Bryant blast to take a lead in the first but that was all they could muster against Chatwood and three Rockies relievers. Colorado continued its surprising play with its fifth consecutive victory and continues to top the National League West standings a season after finishing 75-87. Lester got the first two batters in the second but then fell apart when Tony Wolters and Chatwood singled and Charlie Blackmon had a bloop double that scored the tying run. LeMahieu then launched a high fly that settled into the basket and the Cubs — and Lester — suddenly found themselves in unfamiliar territory at home. Chatwood settled in, allowing just the one run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts before departing after six innings. Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Justin Grimm combined for four innings of scoreless relief for the Cubs but they couldn't do any damage against the Rockies bullpen and fell to 30-29 on the season. "It is a good team we're playing," Maddon said. "It was a really well-played game by two good teams and they got us."

Maddon was pleased with the Cubs' effort on a day it was revealed Major League Baseball will look into allegations of domestic abuse against Addison Russell made on social media by a friend of his wife's. And then there was news that starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks was placed on the 10-day disabled list with tendinitis in the back of his right hand. "I thought the guys handled everything really well (Thursday)," Maddon said. "I'm very proud of the way we did handle it. Some nights they just beat you, man. They just pitched better than we did." -- Chicago Tribune Colorado continues NL West dominance of Cubs' offense By Mark Gonzales The Chicago Cubs don’t face the Arizona Diamondbacks until Aug. 1, which should give them ample time to try to change a disturbing trend. The Colorado Rockies’ starting pitching continued their mastery of the Cubs’ offense in a 4-1 victory Thursday at Wrigley Field. Rockies starters have allowed only five earned runs in four starts. That comes after the Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the Cubs in two of three games two weeks ago, and the Padres’ starters limiting the Cubs to five runs in a three-game sweep last week. “National League West pitchers have been the most troublesome,” manager Joe Maddon observed after Tyler Chatwood shut down the Cubs after allowing a home run to Kris Bryant in the first. Maddon admitted the Cubs expanded their strike zone against Chatwood and his sinker that was “dive bombing at the end.” Friday, the Cubs have the task of facing German Marquez, who pitched eight innings of three-hit ball in a 3-0 win against the Cubs on May 10. -- Chicago Tribune Addison Russell, Cubs issue statements as MLB looks into domestic abuse allegations By Paul Sullivan, David Haugh and Mark Gonzales Major League Baseball officials are following up on domestic abuse allegations against Cubs shortstop Addison Russell. “We’re looking into it,” Patrick Courtney, MLB vice president, told the Tribune Thursday morning. Russell issued a statement Thursday afternoon, saying: "Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful. For the well-being of my family, I’ll have no further comment.” Soon thereafter the Cubs released their statement: "Last night, we were made aware of a serious claim posted on social media about Addison Russell. We reached out to Major League Baseball and, following the protocol established by MLB, will fully cooperate with the Commissioner's Office as it gathers pertinent facts. Addison will not be in uniform tonight to allow him to work through this matter.”

"This is a serious allegation by a third party on social media," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. "I was surprised to see the allegation and we knew we had to follow up." There are no official charges against Russell. The Cubs had reached out to the league Thursday morning after domestic-violence allegations were made against Russell via social media Wednesday night by a woman who claimed to be a friend of Russell and his wife, Melisa, a source said. The Cubs acted in accordance with the league’s policy on domestic violence. Team officials met Thursday to determine the best way to address the situation, a source said. The Cubs host the Rockies Thursday night at Wrigley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Manager Joe Maddon is expected to hold his regular press conference before the game, and Cubs players will be available to the media. “It’s unfortunate,” Kris Bryant told WSCR-AM 670, adding he didn’t know the details of the allegations. “Obviously it’s a touchy subject and it’s never acceptable, but that’s something Addison is going to have to handle and I’m sure it will be talked about here soon,” Bryant said. Bryant said he didn’t know much about Russell’s life outside the ballpark. “I don’t want to know anything about my teammates’ personal lives,” he said. “It’s just something I don’t like to get into ... I don’t want to get involved in any drama or any of that. I try to be the most boring person I can when I’m off the field with my wife.” "I love Addison and we have some really good memories together," first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. "But I don't know what's going on outside of this (clubhouse)." Baseball adopted its domestic violence policy in August 2015. Any accused player can be put on paid administrative leave for up to one week while the allegations are investigated, and the player can challenge that decision through an arbitration panel. The commissioner decides the disciplinary measures, and there is no minimum or maximum penalty. Four players have been suspended thus far, including former Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, who was the first player to be penalized under the policy during his first stint with the Yankees. Chapman was suspended for 30 days at the start of the 2016 season for allegedly choking his girlfriend. He was not charged with a crime. The other three players were Braves outfielder Hector Olivera (82 games), Mets infielder Jose Reyes (52 games) and Mets reliever Jeurys Familia (15 games). All three were charged with crimes. MLB also is currently investigating an allegation against Rays catcher Derek Norris, whose former fiancee claimed he “physically and emotionally abused her.” Norris’ agent issued a statement from Norris to the Tampa Bay Times saying: “I have NEVER been physically or emotionally abusive towards her, or anyone else in my life." The Rays issued a statement saying they supported MLB's domestic violence policy and would cooperate with the commissioner's office. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs place Kyle Hendricks on 10-day DL; Mike Montgomery to start Friday By Chris Kuc and Mark Gonzales

Joe Maddon has been looking for an opportunity to give Mike Montgomery a start, and the Cubs manager found it when right-hander Kyle Hendricks was placed on the 10-day disabled list before Thursday night's game against the Rockies at Wrigley Field. Hendricks' DL stint for tendinitis on the back of his right hand is retroactive to Monday, and he is expected to make a start against the Pirates during the June 16-18 series in Pittsburgh. "It's something that we do not think is serious or long term," President Theo Epstein said. "(Hendricks) will miss this start (and) we expect him to be available at some point in the Pittsburgh series." With Hendricks sidelined, Montgomery is scheduled to start in his place Friday against the Rockies. "(Montgomery) has been stretched out a little bit ... so we feel good about that," Maddon said. "We've been talking about getting Montgomery a start, and there it is." The Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Seth Frankoff from Triple-A Iowa, and he was available Thursday night. To make room for Frankoff on the 40-man roster, veteran left-hander Brett Anderson (lower-back strain) was transferred to the 60-day DL. Left is all right: Anthony Rizzo prefers to downplay splits against left-handed and right-handed pitchers, but he can't overlook the fact he has hit six of his 13 home runs against left-handers. "Maybe when I face lefties, (my right shoulder) stays closed more and maybe it gives me more power," Rizzo said. "I can't fly open, or I'm going to get out every time. I have a tendency to do that against right-handers." Entering Thursday's game, Rizzo was batting .259 with six homers, 14 RBIs, a .403 on-base percentage and a .996 OPS against lefties, compared with last season's .261 average, eight homers, .366 on-base percentage and .632 OPS. "I really try to not make the lefty-on-lefty setup a big deal because once you do, you start playing mind games with yourself," Rizzo said. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs confronted with issue we should be talking about no matter what By Steve Greenberg One in three women has been a victim of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner in her lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Can we just start there? Sorry if that’s unfair to Addison Russell, the young Cubs star who was accused on social media Wednesday of having hit his wife. The post was written by a friend of Melisa Russell, and the 23-year-old shortstop flatly denied the allegation in a written statement, calling it “false and hurtful.” I didn’t open with that chilling statistic to darken the skies around Russell. I did it to shine a light on a shame of society that — though it has become an issue of increasing significance within the sports realm — still isn’t openly discussed enough. Also, with a story like this one, it’s really hard to know what else of significance there is to say. A clubhouse full of baseball players didn’t really know what to say, either, which didn’t stop reporters from digging for answers.

“I don’t know enough about it,” Kris Bryant said. “I try to stay out of teammates’ personal lives.” “I don’t know what’s going on outside of this [clubhouse],” Anthony Rizzo said. “We’re a family,” Albert Almora Jr. offered, “and we don’t know what’s going on.” Here’s something that’s going on: Nationwide, more than 20,000 calls are being made to domestic-violence hotlines on a typical day. This seems as good a spot as any to mention that. But back to the Cubs, some of whom wouldn’t engage on the topic of Russell at all. “I’ve got nothing for you right now,” Jason Heyward said. “I’ll talk baseball with you,” Kyle Schwarber said, “but I’m not really going to go out in the public side right now.” That’s OK. Frankly, I was less impressed by what Russell’s teammates said than by what they didn’t say. No one leapt to his defense. No one said, “He’s a great guy who’d never do such a thing.” An allegation about a serious issue — domestic violence — was treated with more respect than that. There are those who would charge the Cubs with being utterly tone-deaf on the issue, given their acquisition last season of Aroldis Chapman, who’d served a 30-game suspension after a domestic-violence investigation. It’s not hard to see why anyone would feel that way. Yet the organization came off better than that on Thursday. “It’s important to watch our words and be respectful,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said, “especially in a situation like this where we care about all the people involved.” Given our current political climate — and, in the media, the comical, obscene rush to form instant, definitive opinions on everything — it seems almost unnatural, or a dereliction of duty, to go slow and exercise patience on this Russell controversy. Yet that’s what I’m going to try to do. I’ll also point out that 15 percent of violent crimes in this country are acts of domestic violence. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said something Thursday that really struck me as wise. “I don’t react [immediately] because I don’t know anything,” he said. “I like to believe I listen without judging. I try not to jump to conclusions. In a situation like this, where it’s very easy to be accusatory, I choose not to be. I choose to listen and don’t make up my mind about anything until I’ve gathered all the facts. That’s where I’m at with this. I don’t know enough to know one way or another how I feel about it.” That suits me in this case, too. Russell says he won’t comment further on the matter, but if and when he does, he deserves to be listened to. And, certainly, any person claiming to be a victim of domestic violence must be listened to. Domestic violence never isn’t bigger than he-said, she-said because there never isn’t a sea of victims out there. It’s sad and it’s terrible. By the way, women from the ages of 18-24 are the most vulnerable. It’s just another stat I thought I’d share. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ Russell denies domestic-violence allegation as MLB investigates By Gordon Wittenmyer

A disappointing Cubs season took a sharp and sobering turn Thursday when Major League Baseball began investigating a domestic-violence allegation made against shortstop Addison Russell via social media Wednesday night. Team officials and teammates were forced to address the issue before the series opener against the Rockies, and Russell released a brief denial through the team. “Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful,” Russell said in the statement. “For the well-being of my family, I’ll have no further comment.” At the team’s request, Russell stayed away from the ballpark Thursday, leaving the Cubs a man short against the Rockies. And team president Theo Epstein did not rule out a longer absence. Javy Baez, who had shared starting duties with the slumping Russell the last two weeks, is the starter until further notice. The commissioner’s office has the discretion to put a player on paid administrative leave for up to seven days while allegations are investigated, but that has not happened with Russell. “It’s not a suspension at this time,” said Epstein, who used that qualifier because the process is conducted exclusively by MLB and beyond the team’s control at this point. After alluding to problems in the marriage on social media earlier in the year, Russell’s wife, Melisa, suggested in multiple posts late Wednesday the couple was breaking up. In a subsequent comment related to one of the posts, a woman Russell’s wife referred to as a close friend, alleged him of “mentally and physically abusing her.” More specifically, the friend continued, “He hit her.” MLB is investigating based on the posts and was expected to try to interview both the wife and the friend under its two-year-old domestic-violence policy, an MLB official said. Any potential penalties are at the discretion of the commissioner’s office on a case-by-case basis. Former Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, for example, served a 30-day suspension last year before the Cubs acquired him from the Yankees, despite charges being dropped by authorities after a police investigation in Florida. That case involved a gun and 911 call. A search of public records in two states Thursday found no evidence of Russell being involved in police or other legal actions. Given the seriousness of the subject, Epstein said the team reacted quickly Wednesday night, talking after the game with Russell and alerting MLB. Epstein said Russell’s comments after the game were similar to Thursday’s statement. Epstein said he talked with Russell’s wife but would not provide any details. “Right now this is an allegation by a third party on social media — a serious allegation,” Epstein said. “That’s why we met immediately with Addison. That’s why we referred it immediately to major-league baseball. And that’s why we’re taking it very seriously. ”But as of right now, that’s what this is. We just don’t know.” That Russell was having issues at home was not a secret in the clubhouse, but the allegation of violence was “shocking” to Kris Bryant and other teammates.

“It’s way too early to jump to conclusions,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “I love Addison. We’ve had some really good memories together. But I don’t know — I love him here. I don’t know what’s going on outside of this. You just want to find out what’s going on.” One of the few teammates to say he spoke with Russell Thursday was close friend Carl Edwards Jr., who said Russell was in “high spirits” and “had confidence” in being cleared. “He’s like a little brother to me,” Edwards said. “I support him regardless, wrong or right. I’m not going to look at him any different. We don’t really know what’s going on.” Epstein and other team officials met with players before the game to brief them and answer questions. “It’s just important to watch our words and be respectful, especially in a situation like this where we care about all the parties involved and where it’s such a serious allegation,” Epstein said. “We want to make sure we do the right and appropriate thing.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Kyle Hendricks DL move, Addison Russell probe test Cubs’ depth, mettle By Gordon Wittenmyer As if the Cubs didn’t have enough starting pitching questions more than two months into the season, Kyle Hendricks went on the 10-day disabled list because of tendinitis on the back of his pitching hand. “It’s something we do not think is serious or long-term,” team president Theo Epstein said. Epstein said he expects last year’s major-league ERA leader to be ready for the series in Pittsburgh June 16-18. Meanwhile, swingman Mike Montgomery will make his first start of the season in Hendricks’ place Friday against the Rockies. Hendricks (4-3) reported the discomfort after throwing a side session Wednesday, and manager Joe Maddon described the move as precautionary. The regression of a starting rotation that led the majors with a collective 2.96 ERA last season has been the team’s biggest problem. And the Hendricks move came on the same day Opening Day starter Jon Lester gave up a four-run second inning to the Rockies and lasted just five innings in a 4-1 loss at Wrigley Field. It was the Cubs’ second consecutive loss after a five-game win streak. And this on a day when the unfolding drama surrounding Addison Russell overshadowed everything else. “It’s all about depth. You don’t win without depth,” said Maddon after former Cub DJ LeMahieu delivered the big blow in the second with a a two-out, three-run, opposite-field homer. “These are the kind of things that you have to expect during the course of the year when your depth is tested. And I think we have very good depth.” It looks like it’s about to get tested like it hasn’t yet this season, as Russell deals with an MLB probe into a social-media allegation of domestic violence, Hendricks misses two starts and the Cubs embark Monday on a 20-game stretch with only three games at home.

“Baseball’s a game that can be cruel to you at times and be really good to you at times,” said Lester, whose high early pitch count and lack of support cost him a chance to stay in the game longer. “With Kyle going down and obviously all the stuff going on with Addie, that’s why we’ve got 25 guys, and we’ll figure it out. “You can’t dwell on negatives. You look forward to tomorrow now. Obviously, Kyle’s a guy that we’ll miss, but we’ll figure it out as we go.” The Cubs already planned to pursue starting pitching during the July trading period before Hendricks became the second starter to land on the DL this season. Brett Anderson, who pitched poorly in six starts before suffering a back strain in early May, is in Arizona making simulated starts and working his way up to a minor-league rehab assignment. Anderson was transferred to the 60-day DL as the Cubs replaced Hendricks with right-hander Seth Frankoff, a minor-league free agent signed over the winter. Frankoff, 28, was called up from Class AAA Iowa. -- Chicago Sun-Times City makes Wrigley security demands of the Cubs — for a change By Fran Spielman Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration demanded Thursday that the Cubs upgrade security around Wrigley Field in the wake of terrorist attacks in Europe that have intensified the team’s longstanding demand for game-day street closings. In a letter to Crane Kenney, president of business operations for the Cubs, Alicia Tate-Nadeau, executive director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, outlined six security measures that require the team’s “prompt attention.” They include: — Promptly notifying the Chicago Police Department of any serious injury that occurs on Cubs property. Currently, the Cubs are “responsible for making the decision about whether the incident is criminal in nature, not the police,” an arrangement City Hall wants to change. “We have been made aware that the Cubs did not immediately report a recent death at Wrigley Field,” the letter states. That’s presumably a reference to Richard Garrity, the 42-year-old fan who died last month after a fall at the ballpark. — “Fully funding” design and construction of a city-approved plan to widen the sidewalk along Addison along the ballpark between Sheffield and Clark by “up to four feet to facilitate the installation of security barriers” or bollards. “This process would mirror standard procedures for a property owner proposing to improve the public way,” Tate-Nadeau wrote. — Developing a “comprehensive security and crowd management plan” for the new open-air plaza adjacent to Wrigley Field that has become a big attraction for Cubs fans. — Fully integrating Wrigley Field cameras — including 30 new ones installed with a $1 million donation from the Cubs — into the city network of 29,000 public and private cameras. — Upgrading the public safety radio communications in the on-site Joint Operations Center at Wrigley.

— Outfitting off-duty police officers who moonlight as security officers for the Cubs with “an easily recognizable shirt or uniform, so they are readily identified as security enforcement.” Cubs spokesman Julian Green said the safety and security of Wrigleyville in general and Cubs fans in particular is “one of our top priorities.” “In the past year alone, we have committed more than $1 million to expand OEMC’s camera network,invested millions of dollars into additional security personnel, provided canines and metal detection screening capabilities, and added off-hours security on the streets of Lakeview,” Green wrote in an emailed statement. Green said terrorist attacks in Manchester and the “horrific event” in New York’s Times Square “underscore the need to work together to provide adequate law enforcement.” “In contrast to Chicago, the city of Boston, of its own accord and without the Red Sox urging, this year closed streets around historic Fenway Park before, during and after Red Sox games,” he wrote, noting that Major League Baseball has joined the Cubs in demanding game-day street closings. If City Hall was truly concerned about security around Wrigley, the concerns would first have been raised with the Cubs — not to the media, a team source said. “This is not about T-shirts, fencing and posturing. We’ve been talking about security improvements since 2010. Where was the concern then?” the Cubs source said. For months, the city has been on the defensive on the issue of Wrigley security as the Cubs have intensified their efforts to close Addison and Clark on game days. But mayoral spokesman Adam Collins fired back Thursday, saying “public safety officials have always exercised the ability to close Clark and Addison when it’s deemed necessary, and they routinely do so when the sidewalks become crowded. In fact, the streets were closed during the series against the Cardinals last weekend at the direction of city security officials.” The team renewed the street closure request earlier this year after a terrorist attack in London that saw five people killed and dozens injured after an attacker drove a car into a crowd along Westminster Bridge near the British Parliament. The mayor’s letter has the effect of putting the team on the defensive. It accuses the billionaire Ricketts family that owns the Cubs and is spending hundreds of millions to renovate Wrigley and develop the land around it of not spending enough on security around the ballpark. “It is of the utmost importance to me to ensure that we are addressing security around Wrigley Field comprehensively and expeditiously,” Tate-Nadeau wrote. “As you continue to invest in upgrading the fan experience inside the stadium, it is our hope that you will also prioritize security investments in the area.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs, Addison Russell react to domestic-violence accusation By Gordon Wittenmyer Addison Russell released a short statement Thursday regarding domestic violence allegations made against him on social media. “Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful,” said Russell. “For the well-being of my family, I’ll have no further comment.”

Russell’s statement comes after the Chicago Sun-Times first reported that Major League Baseball plans to investigate the domestic violence allegations made against the Cubs shortstop. Russell was not listed in the starting lineup for the Cubs’ game Thursday night against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field, and was not even in uniform. The Cubs released the following statement: “Last night, we were made aware of a serious claim posted on social media about Addison Russell. We reached out to Major League Baseball and, following the protocol established by MLB, will fully cooperate with the commissioner’s office as it gathers pertinent facts. Addison will not be in uniform tonight to allow him to work through this matter.” Russell’s wife, Melisa, suggested in multiple posts late Wednesday the couple was breaking up after one year of marriage. In one deleted Instagram post Melisa wrote: “Being free to be able to make your own choices for your own happiness beats being cheated on, lied to, & disrespected any day.” In a subsequent comment related to one of the posts, a woman Russell’s wife referred to as a close friend, accused him of “mentally and physically abusing her.” MLB is investigating based on the posts and is expected to try to interview both the wife and the friend under its 2-year-old domestic violence policy. Any potential penalties are at the discretion of the commissioner’s office on a case-by-case basis under the policy. Former Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, for example, served a 30-day suspension last year before the Cubs acquired him from the Yankees, despite charges being dropped by authorities after a police investigation in Florida. That case involved a gun and 911 call. A team official said the club is looking into the allegation but has no comment at this time. Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said there is no active CPD investigation at this time. Third baseman Kris Bryant was Russell’s first teammate to weigh in on the allegations. He told 670 the Score on Thursday that he was caught off guard by the allegations and said it’s something that Russell will have to handle. Speaking with reporters later in the clubhouse, Bryant said: “It’s a tough situation. … There’s a lot more important things than baseball. “Addie’s going to find a way to handle it. We’re all going to learn from it and hopefully be better for it. I don’t have a ton to comment on it. … It’s unfortunate.” Said first baseman Anthony Rizzo: “I think it’s way too early to jump to conclusions. … No one knows what’s going on.” Rizzo was asked if support for a Cubs teammate is unconditional. “You’ve got to find out what’s going on,” Rizzo said. “I love Addison. We’ve had some good memories together. I love him here. You don’t know what’s going on outside of this.” Russell has struggled much of this season, hitting .209 with three home runs. He has shared the starting shortstop job with Javy Baez since the team’s recent road trip. Russell is not in the lineup for Thursday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies. During an afternoon appearance on 670 The Score, general manager Jed Hoyer discussed the reasoning behind holding Russell out of the game Thursday.

“We just felt like given the serious allegation, we thought it was the right thing to do for Addison,” Hoyer said. “Keep the issues away from the ballpark and we’ll keep this decision day-by-day. “[Wednesday] night in the nature of social media, we found out about his wife’s post along with everyone else. And we found out during the game and shortly after that post we found out about the allegation from the third party … Once the allegation from the third party was made, we talked to Major League Baseball.” Hoyer said no decision on a suspension had been made Thursday. “To be clear, once it was turned over to MLB, any suspension would have to come from the league, not from the team,” Hoyer said. “We asked him to stay home today, but we’ll talk tonight.” -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs' Russell calls allegations 'false and hurtful' By Bruce Miles The world-champion Chicago Cubs are facing a serious test that goes beyond the field of play. A group of players that has been fun-loving and tight-knit since a winning culture developed in 2015 woke up Thursday stunned that it had to deal with questions about one of its own. Most organization members who met the media didn't seem quite sure how to proceed after being hit with news that Major League Baseball is looking into allegations of domestic abuse by all-star shortstop Addison Russell. Things began breaking Wednesday night, when Russell's wife, Melisa, indicated on social media that she and Russell were breaking up. A woman who claimed to be a friend of Melisa's posted an allegation that Russell had mentally and physically abused Melisa and had hit her in front of the children. Russell and Melisa have one child, and Russell is the father of an other child from a previous relationship. The Cubs reported the information to MLB on Thursday morning, and Russell issued a statement through the team in the afternoon. "Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful," Russell said. "For the well-being of my family, I'll have no further comment." Russell was not at Wrigley Field on Thursday as the Cubs told him to stay home. The team, which said it was not punishing Russell by making him stay home, issued its own statement. "Last night, we were made aware of a serious claim posted on social media about Addison Russell," the statement reads. "We reached out to Major League Baseball and, following the protocol established by MLB, will fully cooperate with the commissioner's office as it gathers pertinent facts. Addison will not be in uniform tonight to allow him to work through this matter." Cubs president Theo Epstein met the media and fielded questions about the Russell situation. He said he was unsure how long Russell would be away from the team but that the team's action was not a suspension. Epstein stressed several points. "Right now this is an allegation, by a third party, on social media -- a serious allegation," he said. "That's why we met immediately with Addison. That's why we referred it immediately to Major League Baseball. And that's why we're taking it very seriously.

"We just don't know. There's not a lot we can say, but we wanted to give it the appropriate attention and answer what questions we can." Epstein added that the Cubs provide domestic-violence training in spring training, per MLB's policy. Manager Joe Maddon recently had reduced Russell's playing time, splitting shortstop duties between Russell and Javier Baez because Russell is batting .209 and he recently experienced shoulder soreness. "It just seemed like his game was off a little bit," said Maddon, who took part in a discussion with the team. "I'm not a big question asker. I'm just watching. I just thought his game was off. I just thought the best way to deal with this was to give him time off to work through what I thought was physical stuff." Inside the clubhouse, players dealt with the news in different ways. Veterans Jason Heyward and Jake Arrieta said they preferred not to discuss something about which they knew little. First baseman and team leader Anthony Rizzo said he noticed no difference with Russell. "He comes in and he does his work every day," Rizzo said. "He works hard." Third baseman and reigning MVP Kris Bryant also fielded questions. "It's important to stand here and answer the questions you guys are asking," he said. "We should be accountable. We're all here for the same goal. It's important to be a good teammate. Whatever that entails, obviously it's a serious matter. But our main focus is to focus on the field." Russell, 23, came to the Cubs in July 2014 as a minor-leaguer in a trade that sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland. It was the last major trade of a Cubs rebuilding process that culminated in last year's World Series win. On the way to that world championship, Russell also started last year's All-Star Game. Russell came to the major leagues in 2015 and took over as the team's No. 1 shortstop later that season. He is generally a quiet presence in the locker room. The Cubs went about their paces as normal during batting practice Thursday evening. Epstein expressed confidence the players would be able to carry on despite any distraction. "I think we have great clubhouse chemistry, but real life happens all the time," he said. "Sometimes it reaches the light of day, and sometimes it doesn't. There are serious situations that come up throughout the course of a season, and right now we're dealing with a very serious allegation, and we'll see what develops. "It's not always just baseball in there. Everybody has a personal life. The real world happens every day to guys, but they know how to deal with it and play the game." -- Daily Herald Rockies are showing they're no fluke By Bruce Miles It had been a month since the Chicago Cubs played the Colorado Rockies, and one thing remains clear: The Rockies are pretty good. As the season inches to the halfway point, it appears that the surprising Rockies are for real. They beat the Cubs two out of three last month at Coors Field, and Thursday night at Wrigley Field, they demonstrated quick-strike capability against Jon Lester with a 4-run second inning on the way to a 4-1 victory.

The Rockies, the top team in the National League West, improved to 39-23 with their fifth straight victory. The Cubs lost their second straight to fall to 30-29. Because the Rockies play their home games at Coors Field, you don't often associate them with good pitching. But this crew can pitch it a little. "That's been the big difference for me and their team, is their pitching and their bullpen," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "They're just good there. They've had the good defense, also. Jon was really good, actually. They worked good at-bats. They hit the 1 homer, but otherwise he had a pretty good outing." Kris Bryant put the Cubs ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first with a one-out home run off Tyler Chatwood. It was Bryant's 14th homer of the season. Lester stranded a pair of runners in the top of the first and looked to be in good shape after striking out the first two in the second. No. 8 hitter Tony Wolters reached on an infield single before Chatwood added a single to left. Charlie Blackmon blooped a double to left field before ex-Cub DJ LeMahieu lined an opposite-field 3-run homer to right. "LeMahieu, I was just informed, that's his second home run in the last four years off a left-handed fastball," Lester said. "So that's always fun. At the end of the day, I'll take me throwing my fastball down and away and a guy hitting an (opposite-field) homer. It (stinks). We got the loss. That's probably not what you all want to hear, but the guy beat me the other way. So tip your hat." It was LeMahieu's first career homer at Wrigley. "I like playing here," he said. "I like playing against these guys, and hitting my first homer at Wrigley came at a pretty good time, so I was happy about it." Lester worked 5 innings, as he gave up 6 hits. Cubs batters did little with Chatwood, who pitched 6, giving up 4 hits. He has allowed a combined 9 hits and 2 earned runs over his past 3 road starts, covering 21 innings. The Cubs were able to get some quality bullpen work out of Hector Rondon. He pitched 2 scoreless innings. -- Daily Herald Hendricks out, Montgomery in Friday for Chicago Cubs By Bruce Miles The Chicago Cubs will be without a key member of their starting rotation over the coming days. On Thursday, they placed right-hander Kyle Hendricks on the 10-day disabled list because of tendinitis in his right hand. The upshot is that left-hander Mike Montgomery, who has worked multiple innings of relief lately, will start Friday afternoon's game against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. It will be Montgomery's first start of the season. To fill Hendricks' spot on the roster, the Cubs selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Seth Frankoff from Class AAA Iowa. They also transferred lefty Brett Anderson from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day DL to make room for Frankoff on the 40-man roster. Hendricks, who is 4-3 with a 4.09 ERA, experienced inflammation in the tendon near his right middle finger. The Cubs say they don't believe the injury is serious or long term. "He just mentioned it yesterday for the first time after his side (session)," president Theo Epstein said.

Montgomery made 5 starts for the Cubs last year among his 17 appearances after being acquired in a July 20 trade with Seattle. "He's been stretched out a little bit, also," manager Joe Maddon said. "He's at about 50 pitches this last time. We've done it a couple of times. So we feel good about that. We've been talking about getting Montgomery a start. There it is." According to the Cubs and FanGraphs, Montgomery has thrown 589 pitches, the most of any reliever in the majors, ahead of San Diego's Craig Stammen (567). Long road to the bigs: Seth Frankoff was looking to make his major-league debut upon joining the Cubs. The 28-year-old right-hander went to spring training as a nonroster invitee after signing a minor-league contract in November. He pitched in the Oakland organization from 2010-15 and for three clubs in the Los Angeles Dodgers' system last year. -- Daily Herald Cubs' Addison Russell denies abuse allegations By Staff Major League Baseball has said it is looking into allegations of domestic abuse against Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell. While not characterizing the action as an investigation, MLB vice-president Patrick Courtney told Daily Herald sports writer Bruce Miles that "we are looking into the situation." Russell issued the following statement Thursday afternoon: "Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful," said Russell. "For the well-being of my family, I'll have no further comment." About 30 minutes later, the Cubs issued this statement. "Last night, we were made aware of a serious claim posted on social media about Addison Russell. We reached out to Major League Baseball and, following the protocol established by MLB, will fully cooperate with the Commissioner's Office as it gathers pertinent facts. Addison will not be in uniform tonight to allow him to work through this matter." The allegation of abuse is based on social media posts by a person who claimed to be a friend of Russell's wife, Melissa. Russell, 23, is in his third season with the Cubs. He and Melissa have a child born last August, and Russell also has another child from a previous relationship. --