Cubs to Activate Ben Zobrist Following Lengthy Absence Amid Divorce
By Parker White
The Chicago Cubs are coming off a huge sweep of the New York Mets on the road, and now they'll be getting a much-needed shot in the arm.
Veteran utility man Ben Zobrist will be activated on Sunday when the rosters expand for September.
Cubs Ben Zobrist will be activated Sunday. Because the Cubs face lefty Gio Gonzalez, Zobrist ( Zobrist better hitter from left side) may not start until Monday.Maddon said he will not hesitate to leadoff the lineup with Zobrist .
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) August 30, 2019
Zobrist has been out since early May because of personal reasons, as he and his now ex-wife, Julianna, were in the midst of a divorce.
The veteran has been playing in rehab games to get himself back into game shape, and while it seemed like a long time for him to be out, the organization supported him throughout this process.
Cubs To Activate Ben Zobrist https://t.co/3MF9Qm05s1 pic.twitter.com/Gxo379VwZz
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) August 30, 2019
The Cubs have to hope that Zobrist will bring more to the table down the stretch in a playoff hunt than he did to begin the season. In just 26 games, Zobrist slashed .241/.343/.253 with one double and 10 RBI.
Manager Joe Maddon has said that he won't have any problem inserting Zobrist in the everyday lineup immediately when he comes back, but with a ton of depth, especially in the outfield, it's hard to imagine him playing every day, especially right off the bat.