LOS ANGELES -- The Chicago Cubs placed Kris Bryant on the disabled list Tuesday with left shoulder inflammation. The move is retroactive to Saturday.
Bryant had indicated that his shoulder soreness was the result of additional time in the batting cage but now says he originally hurt it about a month ago on a slide.
"It kind of flared up a little bit but I didn't think anything of it," Bryant said before Tuesday's game. "Maybe I tried to play through it and came back too quick. It got better."
Bryant insists it's not a serious injury and is hopeful he'll be back when first eligible, early next week. Originally, Bryant indicated his shoulder "hurt pretty bad" but now it's just "sore."
Bryant was asked if the injury had contributed to a power slump. His OPS in June is just .707, 200 points lower than his career average.
"I don't think so," Bryant said with a smile. "Not at all. I think it was the wind [at Wrigley Field]."
In other moves, the Cubs placed RHP Justin Hancock on the DL with right shoulder inflammation, optioned RHP Duane Underwood Jr. to Triple-A Iowa, and recalled RHPs Luke Farrell and Dillon Maples and INF David Bote from Triple-A.
The team hasn't decided the next course of action for starter Yu Darvish after a solid rehab start at Class A on Monday night. His status is day-to-day as the Cubs evaluate him.
Amid a five-game Cubs losing streak, Bryant felt he wasn't helping matters by taking up a roster spot without being able to play.
"That's the worst part," Bryant said. "Sitting on the bench and knowing it was only a 24-man [roster]. It's just a terrible feeling."
The Cubs would go on to snap that losing streak Tuesday night against the Dodgers, thanks largely to the efforts of Javier Baez, who was 4-for-5 with two home runs in Chicago's 9-4 win.
