Kris Bryant May Return Wednesday as Jason Heyward Remains 'Sore' Following Collision

After Kris Bryant and Jason Heyward's ugly collision on Sunday, the Cubs are fortunate that neither are expected to hit the injured list.

Both were out of the lineup for the Cubs on Monday during a 6-5 loss to the Astros, as Heyward remains "sore" and Bryant, who appeared to hit his head in the collision, is still under evaluation by team doctors.

However, the Cubs expect both to make quick recoveries, and Bryant could be back on the diamond by Wednesday.

The collision occurred in the 6th inning of Sunday's game, as Heyward and Bryant, who is somewhat inexperienced in the outfield, failed to communicate properly on a fly ball. Both players were subsequently removed from the game.

If Bryant were to end up on the injured list, it would be a big blow for the club. They currently hold a 1-game lead over Milwaukee for the top spot in the NL Central, and Bryant has been an integral part of their success.

The 2016 NL MVP is batting .283 with 12 home runs and 34 RBI, and he adds a defensive versatility that has proved valuable to Joe Maddon in crafting his lineups. If all goes well, Bryant will avoid the IL and be back to contributing for Chicago in just a couple of days.