ATLANTA – Reigning National League MVP Kris Bryant sent a scare through the Cubs organization when he was forced to leave the game Wednesday after jamming his finger on the foot of the Braves’ third baseman sliding head-first.
X-rays were negative, and the Cubs said Bryant was diagnosed with a sprain between the left pinky and ring fingers. Bryant’s playing status is to be evaluated again Friday after a scheduled off day Thursday.
“I don’t have any final conclusions, but I think we kind of dodged a bullet there,” manager Joe Maddon said. “I don’t think it’s debilitating. He heals quickly, as we’ve seen with the [turned] ankle [last month]. I don’t anticipate a long process here.”
Bryant lay on the ground in visible pain after getting thrown on the play to end the inning.
“You slide into someone’s foot, and you obviously think the worst-case scenario,” he said. “I was kind of scared to even look at my finger afterward. It was like, ‘Uh-oh, this never ends up good.’ “
Bryant said his fingers splayed when his hand caught Johan Camargo’s foot and that he suffered cuts near his fingernail.
Bryant, who had the two fingers taped together after the game, said he became more optimistic even before the x-rays, when the trainer examined him.
He balked at predicting he’d be ready to play Friday but said he hoped the off day would make the difference.
“I won’t be playing any video games or any of that,” he said.
CSN shared a video of the play on Twitter.
Uh oh... pic.twitter.com/x1EpfckQSy
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) July 19, 2017
Tommy La Stella replaced Bryant defensively at third to start the bottom of the first.
Bryant was 8-for-23 (.348) with a homer and three walks during the Cubs’ 6-0 sweep during their road trip through Baltimore and Atlanta. The six-game streak is their longest of the year.
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