Wisdom showing Cubs he has staying powerBrian Sandalowon August 22, 2021 at 5:50 pm

When Major League Baseball announced the Cubs are playing in the 2022 Field of Dreams Game, one of the players on the social-media graphic was Patrick Wisdom.

Not bad for a guy who had played 43 major-league games before this year.

Entering Sunday’s game against the Royals, Wisdom’s 20 homers led all National League rookies, a total that ties him with the 1993 Marlins’ Orestes Destrade for the NL record for homers in a season by a rookie 29 or older. Wisdom has gotten a chance and run with it, putting himself squarely in the picture for the 2022 Cubs, not to mention league-wide promotional materials.

“I think it’s just a guy that’s gotten to a point in his career that he’s taken advantage of an opportunity,” manager David Ross said. “I think when you get real opportunity to play on a regular basis and you’ve been through the roller-coaster of a professional player and the ups and downs and getting to know yourself a little bit better, and understanding that [in] the baseball season there’s going to be really high moments and really low moments, and it’s about sustaining the good ones when you can and trying to shorten the bad ones when they come.”

Perhaps most importantly, Wisdom’s been able to produce even as opposing pitchers have made adjustments.

“It’s who he is. He’s got real thunder in his hands… when he touches the baseball it jumps,” Ross said. “The more contact he makes the more he gets familiar with the pitching staffs, the divisions and the league and how guys pitch him and making his proper adjustments. I think that he’ll continue to even get better than he’s doing now.”

Hoerner’s role
Currently rehabbing a right oblique strain, it’s not entirely clear when Nico Hoerner will return to the Cubs. What’s more obvious is where he’ll play when he does come back to the Cubs.

“He’ll play [shortstop] when he comes back,” Ross said.

Ross said the Cubs would “sprinkle” him in around if needed, but shortstop will be Hoerner’s primary home. Hoerner has played shortstop before at the big-league level, most notably when he filled in for an injured Javy Baez late in the 2019 season.

“Look how fast he picked up second base and how special he was there,” Ross said. “I have no doubt in my mind that he can be a big-league shortstop on a regular basis. If he can stay healthy and on the field, he’s a really big piece to this team moving forward.”

What about Willson?
Ross said Willson Contreras (right knee sprain) is doing well but not moving 100%. Before Sunday’s game, Contreras got some work in, testing the knee (with a brace) running the bases. As for what else he’s doing, Ross said Contreras is doing some catching but not blocking just yet.

When Contreras returns, it might be as a designated hitter first. The Cubs visit the White Sox this weekend before going to Minnesota to see the Twins, potentially giving Contreras a chance to DH.

“I think the catching stuff, in my mind, we’ll be extra cautious on to make sure he’s right,” Ross said.

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