A big mid-season test for the Cubs came via the 4-game Washington series over this past week. Well, a couple of big tests, as it turns out. The most obvious was being pitted against a dangerous Nationals team that was playing really good baseball, and doing it while a good portion of the team's core was either on the DL or working through things in the minors. And then some apparent intra-squad friction reared its head when now-former Cub catcher Miguel Montero lamented Jake Arrieta's deliberate delivery to the plate as the Nats tied a club record for stolen bases. The two insisted the row was no big deal and that they hashed things out privately, but going 0-31 in catching base runners stealing this year for a backup catcher, albeit with last year's postseason heroics, became too much for the Cubs front office to bear. And with that, none of last season's three catchers on the Opening Day roster for the World Series champion Chicago Cubs are with the team. That shouldn't remain so for long, with Kyle Schwarber looking better already down in triple-A ball. Following the return of Addison Russell, the Cubs can look forward to getting Schwarber back along with the injured Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist sometime soon. But, it wouldn't be the Cubs without Kris Bryant accidentally stepping on third base fielding a routine pop up and spraining his ankle in doing so. He's day to day, like we all are. After all, that's Cub.

<p>A big mid-season test for the Cubs came via the 4-game Washington series over this past week. Well, a couple of big tests, as it turns out. The most obvious was being pitted against a dangerous Nationals team that was playing really good baseball, and doing it while a good portion of the team's core was either on the DL or working through things in the minors. And then some apparent intra-squad friction reared its head when now-former Cub catcher Miguel Montero lamented Jake Arrieta's deliberate delivery to the plate as the Nats tied a club record for stolen bases. The two insisted the row was no big deal and that they hashed things out privately, but going 0-31 in catching base runners stealing this year for a backup catcher, albeit with last year's postseason heroics, became too much for the Cubs front office to bear. And with that, none of last season's three catchers on the Opening Day roster for the World Series champion Chicago Cubs are with the team. That shouldn't remain so for long, with Kyle Schwarber looking better already down in triple-A ball. Following the return of Addison Russell, the Cubs can look forward to getting Schwarber back along with the injured Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist sometime soon. But, it wouldn't be the Cubs without Kris Bryant accidentally stepping on third base fielding a routine pop up and spraining his ankle in doing so. He's day to day, like we all are. After all, that's Cub.</p>

<p>Hear more from Lin Brehmer &amp; WXRT.</p>

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