Cubs to option Addison Russell to minors upon return from domestic-violence ban

SEATTLE — What kind of impact on the roster and distraction in the clubhouse will Addison Russell have on the Cubs this weekend?

None.

The Cubs made sure of that when they told the suspended shortstop Tuesday that he will be optioned to Class AAA Iowa on Thursday, when he is eligible to return from his 40-game ban for domestic violence.

Team president Theo Epstein called it a ‘‘baseball decision’’ based on the lack of games Russell was allowed during his weeklong minor-league assignment Major League Baseball’s domestic-violence policy allows during a suspension.

‘‘While there have been some real promising signs with his play, six games just isn’t enough to get fully up to speed to come help the major-league club,’’ said Epstein, who indicated he wants to see something closer to a spring training-like stretch of games.

That likely means a return to the big-league roster sometime around the middle of May, when the Cubs travel to Cincinnati and Washington for a six-game road trip.

‘‘Obviously, every player wants to be in the big leagues,’’ Epstein said. ‘‘There might have been some disappointment that wasn’t happening immediately. But I think he understands where we’re coming from, where six games is a lot less than what most guys have to get ready for a season, and he understood it.’’

The delay also means the Cubs will avoid the spectacle, headlines, scrutiny and potential distraction of Russell’s controversial return during their first home series of the season against the rival Cardinals — at a time they have been playing their best baseball of the season.

The Cubs had won 11 of their last 15 games entering the opener Tuesday of their series in Seattle.

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‘‘There’s not a real urgent need for him right now,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘I think we’re better off letting him continue to go through a spring training.

‘‘I don’t have a specific date, but he shouldn’t be down there that long of a period of time. He is a major-league player, and as long as everything is going well, you don’t want him sitting down there so long that it starts becoming almost negative regarding his development.’’

Epstein said Russell will split time between shortstop and second base during his remaining time in the minors. And the expectation is that he’ll move to second if/when he returns to the team, with Javy Baez staying at short.

‘‘I told him, ‘We want you to be ready to help out at whatever position Joe wants you to play,’ and he totally understood,’’ Epstein said.

‘‘And I think any observer of the club can realize how central Javy is to everything that we do and everything that we do well. And just in general, reducing the amount of variability for your best player makes a lot of sense. And increasing the versatility for someone like Addison makes a ton of sense.’’

Epstein emphasized the higher priority of Russell’s continued therapy off the field and said his status with the Cubs remains subject to continual monitoring and progress in that area.

‘‘I said it the other day, and I stand by it: There’s really no finish line,’’ Epstein said. ‘‘It’s a long-term process with the work he’s putting in to grow as a person. And I do think it’s appropriate to note that there has been progress even as there’s a tremendous amount of work ahead for him.

‘‘Talking to him and, more importantly, talking to the people in his life, they notice improvements in the way he’s handling himself in important situations and improvements in the relationships, the way he’s functioning as a father and a partner. Those are all good signs.’’