Coming into Tuesday’s tilt with the Reds, Addison Russell was slashing a paltry .137/.292/.274 with 3 home runs in 89 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers. So it figured to be a sure thing that Joe Maddon would sit his 22-year-old shortstop on a day the Cubs were facing southpaw Brandon Finnegan. Still a nascent hitter, it would have made sense for Russell to get a breather in order to keep his confidence up.
Maddon, however, had other plans. Of course, he’d have to watch them come to fruition from the clubhouse. That’s because two batters after Russell struck out on three pitches — the last two swinging — in his first trip to the plate, Maddon got himself tossed for eating home plate umpire Jerry Meals’ lunch over a few really awful calls.