It’s a shock that the Cubs are in first place in the NL Central this late in August when you factor in their superstar former MVP, Kris Bryant, has spent a good amount of time on the disabled list this season.
Bryant is currently on his second DL stint this year (and second of his career) after re-aggravating a shoulder injury from a slide in late June. He was first placed on the DL June 26 because of his shoulder and then activated July 11 only to play in nine games before going back to the DL until now.
Cubs fans should get excited that their first-place team is getting very close to getting Bryant back in the everyday lineup. He recently began taking batting practice with a new and improved swing which focuses on finishing the swing with two hands instead of one to help protect his front shoulder.
Apparently it feels pretty good to him since he was knocking BP balls off the left field scoreboard with ease.
The few fans inside Wrigley Field right now just gave Kris Bryant an ovation for hitting the video screen in left moments ago during his hitting session.
— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) August 25, 2018
“I feel pretty normal. I’ve been doing a two-handed swing, which I honestly think I feel even better,” said Bryant, who has been on the disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder since July 24. “I’ve got to bring the contact point a little further back in my swing. I feel like I’m hitting balls further. I feel like before, I was only really hitting the ball with one, one-and-a-half hands connected to the bat, and now I actually feel like I’m hitting the ball with two hands.”
Pray for the NL if Bryant actually feels better with this new and improved two-handed swing.
Here’s your first look at the swing and I’m no swing doctor but shit — this looks good.
👀 @KrisBryant_23 pic.twitter.com/Blf5Kr9nSr
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) August 27, 2018
First round of BP for Kris Bryant. pic.twitter.com/gdeupV8tKq
— Alex Cohen (@voiceofcohen) August 27, 2018
Bryant is scheduled for a brief rehab stint tonight in Iowa and I’d guess he’d be expected back for the upcoming 11-game road trip starting this Thursday in Atlanta if everything goes as planned.
Now that his swing is better than ever, all Bryant has to do is figure a way to beat out David Bote as the everyday third baseman.
(Relax…I’m joking)
