Inside The Cubs

Report: Willson Contreras Aims for End of Season Return

Chicago Cubs All-Star catcher Willson Contreras remains out with an ankle injury, but he's progressing toward an end of the season return.
Ben Silver|
Report: Willson Contreras Aims for End of Season Return
Report: Willson Contreras Aims for End of Season Return

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A left ankle sprain has kept Willson Contreras from playing at all in September. He last game with the Chicago Cubs came on Aug. 30, pulled in the sixth inning of a 5-3 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, his 21st homer of the year not enough to overcome the deficit.

Hobbled, but with a will to return, manager David Ross explained the situation in an article by Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun Times, "You see the end in sight, and some personalities are like, ‘What’s the point of rushing back?’ And some personalities are like, ‘I’m [ticked off] I’m hurt; I want to finish; I enjoy playing baseball.'"

Contreras, Ross says falls in the second category of, "'I’m trying to get back, but I can only do so much with my ankle.'"

For a player on the cusp of free agency, with the biggest payday of his life in mind, it is a miracle Contreras would bother coming back at all for a team with zero playoff aspirations.

Yet as of Sunday, Contreras felt fine running in straight lines, but was unable to run in curves.

On Tuesday, he took batting practice on the field at loanDepot Park in Miami with his teammates. Of course, taking swings does not include running the bases, but its a step in the right direction should Contreras wish to return as a DH for the final few games of the season.

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Ben Silver
BEN SILVER

Ben Silver is deputy editor for Inside the Cubs. A graduate of Boston University, Ben formerly covered the Philadelphia Phillies for PhilliesNation.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenHSilver.

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