Javier Baez scratched from Tuesday’s lineup against Indians

Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez has been scratched from Tuesday night’s series opener vs. the Cleveland Indians due to back tightness.

For at least the first game of their road series vs. the Cleveland Indians, the Chicago Cubs will be without star infielder Javier Baez, who has been scratched from Tuesday night’s start due to back tightness.

The Cubs enter play on Tuesday night with a .500 record through 34 games at 17-17. While no club in the National League has really caught fire just yet, the Cubs due trail the division-leading arch rival St. Louis Cardinals by 3.5 games. St. Louis is tied for the best record in the NL at 21-14 with the San Francisco Giants. Cleveland is only a game back of the Chicago White Sox at 18-14.

Here is how the Cubs will start their series opener vs. Cleveland without Baez in the lineup.

Chicago Cubs lineup vs. Cleveland Indians: Tuesday, May 11

• 1. RF Joc Pederson
• 2. CF Kris Bryant
• 3. 3B Matt Duffy
• 4. 1B Anthony Rizzo
• 5. C Willson Contreras
• 6. DH David Bote
• 7. RF Jason Heyward
• 8. 2B Ildemaro Vargas
• 9. SS Eric Sogard
• SP Adbert Alzolay

While the Cubs did decently in the first month of the season, May and June will tell the tale of the 2021 campaign for the North Siders. If they struggle in the latter weeks of the spring, that might signify star players like Baez and Kris Bryant to be shipped out of town. Conversely, if the Cubs play well, they might look to add a bat or an arm to see if they can gear up for the postseason.

Though they lost their series finale to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Mothers’ Day, the Cubs have won seven of their last 10 games to get back to .500. It is a testament to how much better they are playing after getting off to a bad start out of the gate. Though Cleveland is a better team than them right now on paper, being able to avoid being swept without Baez in the lineup would be huge.

The Cubs will need to adjust without Baez in the lineup with Adbert Alzolay toeing the rubber.