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An update on Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and other former Cubs

Here’s how some of your old favorites did over the last week.

By Al Yellon
Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Back by popular demand after the Labor Day holiday, here’s a look at how many of the former Cubs traded away at this year’s deadline performed over the last several games.

Javier Báez

In the last update, I noted Báez’ (and other Mets players) little “thumbs-down” kerfuffle with Mets fans.

The very next day, Báez nearly singlehandedly won a game for the Mets and recaptured the love of their fans.

The Mets’ August 31 game was the completion of a game suspended back in April. They trailed the Marlins 5-1 going to the bottom of the ninth. They had scored two runs and had runners on second and third with two out when Javy beat out an infield single to make it 5-4 [VIDEO].

That put runners on first and third and Javy scored all the way from first, winning the game, on a single by Michael Conforto and misplay in left field [VIDEO].

That’s a heck of a play — how many times did we see Javy take chances like that? — and a heck of a call by Mets announcer Gary Cohen, too.

Oh, and this also happened on that play:

It was an earring. This turned into a huge undertaking. This tweet is from the next afternoon:

For the week of August 31 - September 6, Báez hit .400/.444/.720 (10-for-25) with two doubles and two home runs, and went 4-for-4 with a home run against the Nationals on Sunday.

Kris Bryant

KB went 6-for-26 over the last week with two doubles and five walks, and left Monday’s game against the Rockies with a minor wrist issue, which Giants management doesn’t think is too serious:

Anthony Rizzo

The former Cubs first baseman had a good week for the Yankees, hitting .346/.414/.577 (9-for-26) with three doubles and a home run. It didn’t much help his team, though, as they lost five of seven.

Jon Lester

Jon started twice since the last ex-Cub update here, and threw well in both of them. He threw 6⅓ one-hit innings against the Reds August 30 in Cincinnati, the only hit a solo homer by Kyle Farmer, and in so doing picked up his fifth win of the season and 198th of his career.

Then he threw 5⅓ innings against the Brewers Sunday in Milwaukee, also allowing just one run, and was in line for win No. 199 until... oh, no [VIDEO].

Former Cubs prospect hits a walkoff slam, costing a former Cubs lefthander a win, and wins a game for the Brewers over the Cardinals. How weird is that?

Lester’s last five starts for St. Louis: 2.70 ERA, 1.425 WHIP, pretty good numbers. It’s a bit too early to know for sure, but I’d bet the Cubs will face him at least once over the two series they have remaining against the Cardinals.

Kyle Schwarber

Kyle’s last seven games: .300/.400/.567 (9-for-30) with two home runs.

His two-run double [VIDEO] helped key a five-run inning for the Red Sox Friday night that led to a win over Cleveland.

Craig Kimbrel

You wouldn’t know it from his performances against the Cubs, but Kimbrel has been solid otherwise in relief for the White Sox.

Saturday in Kansas City with hot-hitting Salvador Perez at the plate representing the tying run in the seventh inning, Kimbrel struck Perez out on this nasty pitch [VIDEO].

I still think the Sox aren’t using Kimbrel right and ought to use him to close. We’ll see if that happens going forward.

I’ll have another former Cub update next Monday.

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