Even though it’s a shortened season, David Ross isn’t going to take any major risks with players’ health.

Especially not when his team is clicking on all cylinders. That’s why he opted to sit Kris Bryant from Thursday night’s series opener against the Brewers, a day after Bryant dove for a fly ball in left field and appeared to fall on his wrist and hand awkwardly.

“KB has just got a little soreness in the wrist and the finger. [I] think he may have jammed that finger a little bit diving for that ball,” Ross said prior to Thursday night’s game. “I don’t think there’s a great deal of concern. He dove and hit a home run right after that. That was probably one of the hardest balls he’s hit this year. That ball was crushed. I think just an abundance of caution making sure everything checks out.”

In the 5th inning of Wednesday night’s game, Cesar Hernández hit a blooper to left field that Bryant dove for and rolled his wrist in doing so. The play was originally ruled a catch and an out, but on review it was ruled to have hit the ground resulting in a single. Shortly after the dive, Bryant crushed a no-doubt home run to left field. Ross wanted to play it safe on Wednesday, too, as he took Bryant out of the game in the 8th inning.

“I’m OK. It doesn’t feel great, but that’s what happens when you dive in the outfield, a lot of times you’re rolling your wrists all over,” Bryant said after Wednesday’s game. “I thought I caught it, but apparently I didn’t.”  

It’s the second day in a row Ross has decided to rest a player after they picked up a knock the day prior. On Tuesday, Kyle Schwarber was hit in the knee with a pitch and Ross rested Schwarber Wednesday night in Cleveland. Schwarber had a pinch-hit appearance Wednesday night in which he struck out.

“Trying to be extra cautious; soreness, kinda like Schwarbs [on Wednesday],” Ross said. “Those little things, same as I talked about [with] Kyle yesterday, when you got little bumps and bruises can create some bad habits if it’s in your mind. So, just wanna make sure he’s good to go.”