Chicago Sports

Last year was a disaster for the Chicago Bears offensive line. Seeing the quarterback on the ground was more than a common occurrence no matter who was back there.

The Bears gave up a league-high 58 sacks in 2021 under Juan Castillo and have sine made changes. Now the group is attempting to rectify that stat with a more feeble bunch. This offseason, new general manager Ryan Poles said he wanted to rebuild the offensive line by slimming down on body fat. Poles, a former lineman himself, is trying to remake the group.

This seems to imply the Bears will look to be more run-heavy this season. Running with some play-action pass to free up the deep ball Justin Fields provides. Teven Jenkins has gotten with the program, losing nearly 20-pounds this offseason. However, he said the decrease in weight made him less “stout.” Having starting linemen say they’re weaker than the previous season makes any fan nauseous. Especially from a group ranked dead last in the NFL keeping their quarterback right-side up.

Chicago Bears hoping to become strong by getting slimmer

Poles told the media in March the Chicago Bears were intent on changing the shape of their offensive lineman from last year to a leaner, faster bunch. Body fat of linemen would be held to a certain standard, he said. This way, they would play better for the team.

“You know we’re going to change it up a little bit in terms of the style,” Poles said. “So a lot of those guys and the message has been clear, we’ve gotta change body types a little bit. We’ve gotta get lighter, we’ve gotta get quicker. Through that, I think there’s some young talent that just needs to be pressed. That’s part of our job is to create competition and bring the best out of them. We’ll do that and we’ll see if the cream rises to the top.”

We’ll see about the cream. Jenkin’s cup of coffee, for now, looks black. The second-year tackle told the media Tuesday it was too early to tell if he’d be a better player after his weight loss. (Not sure about the transformation at all by this point.) A reporter asked Jenkins if he’d be just as good following his weight loss transformation this offseason. Jenkins wasn’t sure he’d be as good as he was or strong.

We will know more when the pads come on

“We’ll tell the tale when we start putting on pads. Everybody knows that,” Jenkins said. “It’s just, it’s how can he move with all that weight at like 330 [pounds]. Cause you’re going to be stronger with all that weight because you’re going to be stout of course. But when you start losing weight, now you say he’s ‘mobile’, see how you’re strength from that 330 [pounds] to whatever you cut off at. That’s where it goes to.”

Without pads, Jenkins doesn’t seem confident in his new abilities. Let’s hope for Justin Field’s sake the Bears feel better about their shape by the time training camp ends. If not, Nathan Peterman might be under center by October. However, it’s likely the offense will be run-heavy this season. It’s quite a risk to take a group that gave up 58 sacks and ask them to become softer. Especially if it were for a heavy passing scheme.

Faster lineman set the edge for Bears’ new scheme

The Bears are moving to a more up-tempo, fast-paced version of the offense under new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, Jenkins said. Offensive linemen, he said would be “getting around” and “setting edges”. This jargon is implying the running game via the “outside zone” will be an emphasis for the Bears under Getsy. Many analysts have speculated the Bears will utilize the outside zone under Getsy.

Getsy and Bears new offensive line coach Chris Morgan come from the Mike Shanahan school of offense. Getsy’s former boss Matt LaFleur was a quarterbacks coach on the same staff as Morgan, the offensive line coach for the 2015-16 Atlanta Falcons under the tutelage of Kyle Shanahan, then offensive coordinator.

This is a run-heavy offense that is supposedly quarterback friendly. The most successful variations of the offense in recent history in the NFL tried to mask poor quarterback play. Think Jimmy Garoppolo with the 49ers or Jared Goff with the Los Angeles Rams.

Cole Kmet more or less explained Tuesday how run blocking and play-action were important to the Bears’ new scheme. As a tight end, he’ll be expected to block to set up the passing game in space. “Because if you can do both, run and pass really well, you’re going to get some nice open passes in the field,” he said.

The offense is a-lot-of-info complex

Kmet also let us see behind the curtain how hard the new transition to the outside zone scheme will be. He mentioned Getsy has given the offense a lot to look over since he took over the offense. “He’s thrown a lot at us this past month and a half, two months. But I think he just wants to see what everyone can do and I think that’s a good thing,” Kmet said of Getsy. “We’ve been getting a lot of info thrown at us and all that type of stuff. But it’s been good and we’re just trying to see how much we can absorb at once.”

That’s twice in one thought the Notre Dame alumn (a school known for its academics) noted the offensive players are receiving “a lot of info”. So much so that they’re just seeing how much they can “absorb” all that lot of info. This is a phenomenon described by Connor Orr with Sports Illustrated, writing why installing this scheme is hard and takes years to implement:

“The difference with Shanahan’s offense and its various clones is that it’s extraordinarily difficult to teach, especially up front, because, for offensive linemen, most of the required movements are unique to this scheme. Blocking schemes require specific personnel that exclude a lot of standard, lumbering type linemen. Some of the most critical blocks cannot be practiced, because the backside “cutting” techniques, which ask an offensive lineman to dive at the turf, tripping a chasing defender at the hips, are too dangerous to try out on fellow teammates who could easily sustain lower body injuries.”

This scheme is a maddeningly complicated, yet stupidly popular system that few have mastered well. If the tight end is struggling to absorb concepts you can only wonder where the lineman are at this point. Chicago fans might be flipping to the Bulls sooner this season. The return of Lonzo Ball seems more exciting than watching a confused, frail lineman struggle to lift Fields off his back.

Bye to lumbering linemen for Chicago Bears

The linemen are currently a batch of silly putty as we speak during the Bears OTA’s. Jenkins is playing right tackle but said nothing’s set in stone at this point with Larry Borom playing left. Poles brought in Lucas Patrick (familiar with Getsy with the Packers) and Dakota Dozier this offseason in free agency. They also drafted a center, Doug Kramer, and tackle to guard, Zach Thomas in the 6th round of the 2021 draft.

It’s going to be one hell of an offseason to get this group ready by September in this offense. It’s safe to say at this point the depth chart is marked with a dry erase board for that group. Poles said in the March press conference the staff would move linemen around during camps to see where they would fit the best. “Especially with o-line play, a lot of times, and I don’t want to speak for the coaches, but it’s going to end up being the best five to roll out there,” Poles said.

Jenkins has done his part to earn trust with the Bears organization by dropping his body fat from 33-percent to 24-percent. Hopefully, Jenkins and his teammate’s lack of stoutness doesn’t affect the Bears’ offensive line’s ability to be an efficient NFL group and protect Fields. This motley crew Bears line group will have to master a new run blocking scheme and figure out how to still protect the quarterback with their new size. That’s a sizable ask in one offseason, even if the group didn’t have question marks coming into the season. There are better linemen groups to try this out with than one that failed to acquire Ryan Bates.

The line needs to protect the Chicago Bears most valuable position

The Bears have given up way too much capital to not protect their asset. Fields needs the pocket to be clean to make good throws and protect his body. While having offensive linemen in shape is important, it’s also important to build your scheme around your talent. If Jenkins and the line can’t reach their full potential at a low weight, they should be able to bulk up. Morgan will hopefully be able to coach the thinner squad techniques to keep the pocket clean.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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On a night when most of the White Sox lineup continued to struggle, a recent callup from Charlotte produced all of its offense with one swing.

When outfielder Luis Robert went down with Covid, infielder Jake Burger was called up from Charlotte with this sort of moment in mind, a designated hitter assignment against a left-handed starter. And Burger delivered with a three-run homer on a 67-mph 0-2 pitch from 42-year-old lefty Rich Hill in the White Sox’ 3-1 win against the Red Sox Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field. It was one of five hits for the Sox (22-21).

“Timing was right,” manager Tony La Russa said. “Huge, huge hit.”

It traveled 444 feet, landing deep in the left field seats.

“Rich was throwing well all night,” Burger said of Hill, who did not allow a hit until Jose Abreu led off the fifth with a single, two batters ahead of Burger’s bomb. “The pitch before that was very similar, and I swung over it. Fortunately he came back with it, and I got one over the plate that was a little higher than the one previous.

“I’m fortunate to have guys like [Yasmani] Grandal, [AJ] Pollock that have played with him and against him a ton. Kind of giving me an approach in that way. It’s good having those guys in the clubhouse telling you how he’s going to attack you and come after you.”

Burger, a former first-round draft choice who missed most of three seasons with multiple injuries including two Achilles tears, made the Opening Day roster when Yoan Moncada suffered an oblique strain at the end of spring training. He was optioned to Charlotte when Moncada returned May 9. Robert went down Monday, and Burger was back.

It was his third homer of the season.

“I think from the aspect of moving your stuff around, and never really having a home base, that’s really the tough side,” he said of the shuttle between Charlotte and Chicago. “But I want to play baseball and I want to compete, no matter where I’m at.

“I hate referencing back to the three years I missed, but I was sitting on the couch for 2 1/2 of those years. I’m going to put my best foot forward, no matter where I’m at. Take every day as a blessing.”

Lucas Giolito pitched six innings of one-run ball, struggling to find rhythm and tempo, he said, and overcoming four walks. But he finished strong by retiring the last seven batters he faced.

“I’ve experienced a little bit of the up and down grind and it’s not pleasant, but [Burger] keeps proving time and time again that he’s very effective at this level,” Giolito said. “Huge home run to give us the lead there. He’s been a wonderful teammate, he works his [butt] off. I look forward to seeing him contribute more.”

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Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson released a statement Thursday morning regarding comments he made to Tim Anderson during Saturday’s game against the White Sox in New York.

Donaldson called Anderson “Jackie,” which led to a bench clearing incident. He was suspended one game and fined by Major League Baseball on Monday. In his statement, Donaldson said he and Anderson “have a mutual understanding.”

Donaldson’s statement:

“First and foremost, I have the utmost respect for what Tim Anderson brings to the game of baseball. I stated over the weekend that I apologized for offending Tim and that it was a misunderstanding based on multiple exchanges between us over the years. My view of that exchange hasn’t changed and I absolutely meant no disrespect. In the past, it had never been an issue and now that it is, we have a mutual understanding.

“I would also like to apologize to Mrs. Rachel Robinson and the Jackie Robinson family for any distress this incident may have caused. Jackie was a true American hero and I hold his name in the highest regard.”

The statement was issued via MLB.com.

Donaldson on Saturday said he jokingly called Anderson ‘Jackie’ in the past, and Anderson acknowledged that Tuesday. But Anderson insists Donaldson’s taunting wasn’t taken in a joking manner.

“In 2019, I know he did say that,” Anderson said. “I told him that we don’t ever have to talk again. And I won’t speak to you, you won’t speak to me if that’s how you’re gonna refer to me. And I know he knew exactly what he was doing.”

Donaldson said he was making “an inside joke” about Anderson referring to himself “today’s Jackie Robinson” in a 2019 Sports Illustrated article, the context of which was lost on Donaldson.

“Two, three years, don’t say nothing to me because I already addressed it,” Anderson said.

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On a night when most of the White Sox lineup continued to struggle, a recent callup from Charlotte produced all of its offense with one swing.

When outfielder Luis Robert went down with Covid, infielder Jake Burger was called up from Charlotte with this sort of moment in mind, a designated hitter assignment against a left-handed starter. And Burger delivered with a three-run homer on a 67-mph 0-2 pitch from 42-year-old lefty Rich Hill in the White Sox’ 3-1 win against the Red Sox Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field. It was one of five hits for the Sox (22-21).

“Timing was right,” manager Tony La Russa said. “Huge, huge hit.”

It traveled 444 feet, landing deep in the left field seats.

“Rich was throwing well all night,” Burger said of Hill, who did not allow a hit until Jose Abreu led off the fifth with a single, two batters ahead of Burger’s bomb. “The pitch before that was very similar, and I swung over it. Fortunately he came back with it, and I got one over the plate that was a little higher than the one previous.

“I’m fortunate to have guys like [Yasmani] Grandal, [AJ] Pollock that have played with him and against him a ton. Kind of giving me an approach in that way. It’s good having those guys in the clubhouse telling you how he’s going to attack you and come after you.”

Burger, a former first-round draft choice who missed most of three seasons with multiple injuries including two Achilles tears, made the Opening Day roster when Yoan Moncada suffered an oblique strain at the end of spring training. He was optioned to Charlotte when Moncada returned May 9. Robert went down Monday, and Burger was back.

It was his third homer of the season.

“I think from the aspect of moving your stuff around, and never really having a home base, that’s really the tough side,” he said of the shuttle between Charlotte and Chicago. “But I want to play baseball and I want to compete, no matter where I’m at.

“I hate referencing back to the three years I missed, but I was sitting on the couch for 2 1/2 of those years. I’m going to put my best foot forward, no matter where I’m at. Take every day as a blessing.”

Lucas Giolito pitched six innings of one-run ball, struggling to find rhythm and tempo, he said, and overcoming four walks. But he finished strong by retiring the last seven batters he faced.

“I’ve experienced a little bit of the up and down grind and it’s not pleasant, but [Burger] keeps proving time and time again that he’s very effective at this level,” Giolito said. “Huge home run to give us the lead there. He’s been a wonderful teammate, he works his [butt] off. I look forward to seeing him contribute more.”

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A 2-year-old girl died after overheated electrical cables caught fire in an apartment building Wednesday in the Roseland neighborhood.

The child was found under debris in a second-floor bedroom of a courtyard building at 11035 S. King Dr., Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.

Firefighters “worked feverishly after they were told a child was in there,” Langford said. “The apartment was full of a lot of debris –furniture, objects that made it difficult to conduct the search.”

Firefighters tried to resuscitate the child but she was pronounced dead at Comer Children’s Hospital, Langford said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified her as Kailey Curry.

Her mother was gone when the fire broke out, Langford said. She had dropped off her older children at school and was returning home with breakfast when she learned about the fire, he said.

Two adult relatives of the mother were in the home when the fire started and escaped to safety. The home had no working smoke detectors.

Firefighters responded shortly before 8 a.m. to several calls of a heavy fire coming from an apartment and a person possibly trapped inside, Langford said. The Fire Department sent extra personnel in anticipation of a rescue.

“When firefighters got to the scene, they knew the chances of survival were slim because fire was blowing out the windows,” he said.

Firefighters made an “aggressive search” and knocked down the fire with hoses, “hoping during the search the child was taken out before.”

The fire was extinguished before it could spread to adjacent units, Langford said.

The blaze was caused by electrical cords that became overheated by layers of items, stopping the natural airflow, the Office of Fire Investigation determined. The items began to smolder and eventually ignited flammable objects nearby.

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The worst thing about all of this, Lance Lynn said, is not being able to compete.

Sitting on the sidelines, recovering from knee surgery, unable to contribute.

The end, though, is drawing nearer. The 35-year-old horse of the White Sox pitching staff leaves for Charlotte soon to begin a rehab stint, his final step before rejoining the team. He is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list June 4, but will need at least three starts, which takes him to at least June 12 for his first start with the Sox.

“The process of being injured and getting back is probably the worst process there is for athletes,” Lynn said. “You miss competing. You miss being part of the team. You miss trying to help your team win. But as long as you get yourself back ready to go and you are 100 percent when you get back, then you did your job.”

Lynn will start with three innings and about 45 pitches and progress from there.

“It’s all about how you can recover,” Lynn said. “Some days you are going to feel worse than others. It’s how you get through it and how you respond. The more I get on the mound, the better I feel, the more comfortable I feel.

“Games [are] the next step of intensity. I’m sure I’ll have some soreness you gotta get through and that’s what the rehab process is all about so you feel comfortable when it’s time to be back here.”

Lynn won’t be rushed, manager Tony La Russa said. It’s not unlike a buildup in spring training, where “you feel good and there’s one day after the third or fourth start that your arm hangs a little bit,” La Russa said. “Hopefully we can use the patience that we want to use to get him back and keep him.”

Lynn was 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA in 28 starts last season. He is fifth among major league pitchers with 449 1/3 innings from 2019-21.

Eloy, too

Eloy Jimenez, who had surgery April 26 to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee, will also be with Charlotte this weekend to begin his rehab stint. Jimenez played in 10 games on his rehabilitation assignment last July for a torn pectoral muscle suffered during spring training.

“Don’t ask Eloy [how many games he’ll need],” La Russa said. “Let’s see.”

La Russa said Jimenez will play left field and DH when he returns to the Sox.

No-tippin’ Dylan

After the Red Sox blitzed him for seven runs in three innings in a 16-3 win Tuesday, Dylan Cease speculated he might have been tipping pitches. But upon review, La Russa said that wasn’t the case.

“Didn’t see it,” La Russa said.

“That wasn’t the reason.”

Quality of pitches and command were the culprits for Cease, whose ERA climbed to 4.24.

“And they’re hot,” La Russa said of the Red Sox. “They’re seeing the ball.”

This and that

The Sox launched an ad campaign Tuesday centered on Tim Anderson, on seven billboards from Bucktown to the ballpark as well as at multiple digital panels across all L lines. Two of the signs say “Change the Game” and “Baseball needs more Tim Andersons.”

*Johnny Cueto and Dylan Cease are the scheduled starters Saturday and Sunday for the Cubs series.

*Saturday night’s game will air on FOX as part of it’s “Baseball Night in America” package. Len Kasper and A.J. Pierzynski will call the game.

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Right-handed reliever Joe Kelly exited the White Sox game against the Red Sox during the eighth inning Wednesday with an apparent injury.

Protecting a 3-1 lead, Kelly struck out Trevor Story looking and Franchy Cordero swinging to open the inning but winced after the strikeout pitch to Story.

He walked off with assistant trainer Josh Fallin.

Liam Hendriks finished the inning by getting Christian Vazquez to ground out to shortstop Tim Anderson.

Kelly was pitching in his seventh game after starting the season on the injured list with a right biceps nerve injury. He had allowed six runs over five innings.

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For all of the White Sox’ defensive issues and underperforming offense, their sense of concern or worry as they hover around .500 as Memorial Day approaches can be tempered knowing they will run a very good starting pitcher to the mound every day when Lance Lynn joins them around mid-June.

Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech and Johnny Cueto give them a good chance to win when they start.

Lynn will, too. Giolito, Cueto and Lynn have been Cy Young vote-getters during their careers and Kopech and Cease, who possess the best stuff on the staff, have been in early-season Cy conversations.

Cease got rocked Tuesday by the Red Sox, one of baseball’s hottest offenses, but is anything but a concern. And Giolito worked out of trouble early and finished strong over six innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 victory against the Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field Wednesday, exiting with a 2.63 ERA.

Cease leads the major leagues with 13.9 strikeouts per nine innings, Kopech is second with a 1.29 ERA and Cueto hasn’t allowed a run in his first two starts.

Lynn might have been the Sox’ Opening Day starter if not for an injury in spring training.

It’s a sturdy enough quintet to make former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel(6.60) worry about his status and Vince Velasquez know he might finish the season in the bullpen.

“If we get to the point where we have too much so be it,” Hahn said. “We’ve certainly prepared for the idea we are going to have flex some guys to the bullpen.

“If we have an embarrassment of pitching riches, that’s a problem I look forward to dealing with.”

When Lynn comes back, don’t look for the Sox to consider a six-man rotation, though. Allowing for extra rest has been a talking point but six starters is not in the cards.

“Extra rest is definitely a plus at times,” manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday. “Most guys are on a five-day routine and if you do it as a matter of course, they lose their feel.”

The other thing is, a bullpen arm is lost with an extra starters. And the starters will get extra days with rainouts and spot starts from others.

“And then the last thing is,” La Russa said, “you get down to August, you want your best guys taking the ball as often as possible.”

The Sox are expecting an offense that has been been carried by Tim Anderson and Luis Robert (currently on the COVID-19 injured list) and ranks 23rd overall by FanGraphs to be recognizable by August. Everyone else with the exception of Andrew Vaughn is batting below .237 with an on-base percentage below .310.

Pointing to backs of baseball cards with players’ history had Hahn saying the Sox’ lagging offense will turn itself around.

“It tries your patience sometimes but having faith in the process and the underlying talent gives you optimism that’s going to continue,” he said Tuesday.

A player with very minimal history, Jake Burger, belted a three-run homer on a 67-mph breaking ball from left-hander Rich Hill in the fifth to give Giolito a 3-1 lead as the Sox tried to snap Boston’s six-game winning streak. Hill had faced the minimum through four innings before Jose Abreu doubled and AJ Pollock reached on third baseman Rafael Devers’ throwing error before Burger connected for his third home run.

La Russa emptied his bullpen to save this one, using Aaron Bummer, Kendall Graveman, Joe Kelly and Liam Hendriks (1 1/3 innings for the save), who combined on scoreless relief. Kelly left with a tight left hamstring in the eighth.

The Sox rank in the bottom fourth of multiple offensive categories but most perplexing is a 6.1 walk rate that ranks last for a team that was seventh at 9.6.

“That’s not us,” Hahn said. “And I think that’s going to normalize over the course of the season. We’ve had a precipitous drop in our walk rate. The players haven’t changed that dramatically. If anything, the level of maturity, you would expect that to improve, and I think over the course of the summer that’ll get better.”

What is the White Sox is quality starting pitching, with an even higher ceiling than the rotation has demonstrated.

Giolito struck out seven, walked four and gave up five hits but retired the last seven batters he faced.

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CINCINNATI – To understand David Ross’ reaction to Reds reliever Hunter Strickland hitting Cubs slugger Patrick Wisdom with a first-pitch fastball, it’s necessary to go back an inning.

Tensions ran high Wednesday in the late innings of a game the Cubs would lose 4-3 to the Reds.

In the eighth inning, Cubs reliever Rowan Wick walked Reds star Joey Votto in four pitches. The first was a fastball up and in, plus two balls in the dirt and one fastball wide.

Votto tossed his bat toward the dugout on his way to first base. After the game, Wick said he didn’t remember exactly what words were exchanged, but he said something along the lines of “Nice bat flip.”

“I understand he’s been in the league a long time, he can do whatever he wants when he walks,” Wick said. “On my side, I was not happy at all with the pitches that I threw. I let the emotions get the best of me. I got a little frustrated. But I feel like he kind of blew it out of the water more than it needed to be.”

Votto shouted back, continuing for a while after he rounded first base. Wick stared toward the plate.

“He had something to say, and I answered,” Votto told Cincinnati reporters after the game. “That’s how ball is sometimes. You’re competitive, and clearly he was competing and locked in on performing well, and I’m pulling on the opposite end of the same rope. If someone says something to me, sometimes I don’t answer, but I wasn’t in the mood to keep my mouth shut.”

Said Wick: “I heard him. But I wasn’t going to turn around and start anything. I was just focussed on getting the next guy.”

Wick said he and Voto have never spoken before.

“I don’t even know if he knows we’re both Canadian,” he added.

That incident was in the back of Ross’ mind the next inning when Strickland drilled Wisdom, with one out in the ninth and the Reds leading by two runs.

“That’s been pretty commonplace when there’s a lot of jawing going on that the umpires get together and see if there’s anything intentional, and they usually err on the side of warnings,” Ross said.

He took issue with the umpires not meeting to discuss whether it was intentional, especially in an already tense game.

“I don’t know if it was or not,” Ross said. “But them not getting together, two [of the umpires] wanting to get together and another guy not wanting to get together, was the frustrating part for me.”

Ross beelined out of the dugout, and after a few words with home plate umpire Dan Merzel, he was ejected. Ross kept on making his point, moving to second base umpire Chris Conroy, until bench coach Andy Green came out to get him.

In the midst of the hubbub, the Cubs came just short of a comeback.

Wick, after walking Votto with one outs in the eighth, induced a ground ball from Mike Moustakas and struck out Nick Senzel to get out of the inning.

The next inning, after Wisdom took his base with one out, Alfonso Rivas drew a walk.Willson Contreras and Nico Hoerner, in their first games back from injury, both pinch hit. Contreras hit a long fly ball to center field, and Senzel made a leaping catch for out No. 2. Hoerner hit an RBI single. But Christopher Morel struck out to end the inning.

“The at-bats in the ninth were really good,” Ross said. “Guys continued to fight, bullpen did a nice job again. … We just came up short tonight.”

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CINCINNATI – For the first time, Cubs middle infielders Nico Hoerner and Andrelton Simmons are lined up to play side by side, after the club activated Hoerner off the 10-day injured list on Wednesday.

So, for the first time this season, Cubs manager David Ross had to answer the question, who will play shortstop when the two share the field? The 25-year-old who has impressed to start the season, or the four-time Gold Glover?

Ross’ answer: Hoerner.

“I think there’s a real benefit from a guy that’s young and up-and-coming getting as many reps at short for us,” Ross said. “And the versatility of Simmons – I don’t know that there really is a real position in the infield anymore [with defensive shifts].”

The Cubs had room to add Hoerner to the active roster, coming back from a right ankle sprain, after they placed catcher Yan Gomes on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain. The Cubs had scratched Gomes from the lineup Tuesday with the injury.

“The news we got back is, it’s not as bad as we thought,” Ross said, describing the strain as, “on the milder side.”

Cubs rookie P.J. Higgins started at catcher for the second straight game, with Willson Contreras still managing right hamstring tightness. Contreras was available off the bench Wednesday, a step toward a full return.

The Cubs, even with second baseman Nick Madrigal still on the 10-day IL with a low back strain, have options in the middle infield. On Wednesday against the Reds, Simmons started at short and rookie Christopher Morel played opposite him. Ross said Jonathan Villar will continue to be an option at second base, as well as third.

That flexibility allows the Cubs to keep working in consistent rest days for their middle infielders, prioritizing health.

The Cubs are also are still evaluating their long-term options at shortstop. Simmons, 32, is on one-year deal with the Cubs. But Hoerner has the opportunity to establish himself as the Cubs’ answer at the position.

“I think Nico has proven he can play big-league shortstop pretty consistently already this season,” Ross said. “So, let’s see what happens at the end of the year and assess there. It’s easy to say you can be a shortstop in the big leagues long-term, but you also have to do it, you have to prove it. Sixty games is a lot different than 162.”

One of Hoerner’s biggest promoters already this season has been Simmons, who cited Hoerner’s play as a big reason the veteran didn’t feel rushed coming back from the shoulder injury that put him on the IL to start the season.

What specifically impressed Simmons?

“His jump throws,” Simmons said with a smile. “I’m like, that’s pretty good, that’s pretty nice. It’s always nice to be able to make those plays in the hole for a shortstop.”

Injury update

Cubs lefty Sean Newcomb (left ankle sprain) got through his first rehab game, throwing one inning for Triple-A Iowa Tuesday, with no issues. Cubs right-hander Michael Rucker (left turf toe) threw live batting practice on Wednesday.

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