When Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell knocked one over the fence in the second inning of last Monday’s game against the San Diego Padres, it made him just the third shortstop in franchise history to collect 80 RBI in a single season, per ESPN Stats & Info.
The youngster joined Roy Smalley Jr. (in 1950) and Ernie Banks, who reached the total in each of his seven full seasons as Chicago’s shortstop, per Baseball-Reference.com. Russell certainly has a long way to go to be mentioned in the same breath as Banks, but the 22-year-old is off to a good start in his young career.
With his improvement at the plate this season, Russell has entrenched himself in the middle of one of baseball’s best lineups in 2016. Entering Monday’s (Aug. 29) action, the Cubs trail just the Boston Red Sox (704) and Colorado Rockies (686) in runs scored this season, totaling 655.
With offseason free-agent acquisition Jason Heyward turning in a bust of a 2016 campaign, the Cubs needed someone to step up, and Russell has done so.
The former top prospect earned his first All-Star bid this season following a first half that saw him hit .237/.329/.402 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI. While his entry into the All-Star Game may have been a product of fan vote, he’s certainly proved he deserved it in the second half, hitting eight home runs in just 144 at-bats.
August has been Russell’s best month of the season as well. Not only does he already have his best monthly total in home runs (seven), but he also owns his best single-month OPS (.851) of the year.
The Cubs continue the quest for their first World Series victory since 1908, but they should have several chances to earn it in the coming years with a solid core group of young players. While first baseman Anthony Rizzo and third baseman Kris Bryant receive the majority of headlines, Russell has started to make a name for himself as well.
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