Ben Zobrist’s No. 18 jersey hangs next to his locker in the Cubs’ clubhouse.
The white shirt with blue pinstripes is cleaned and pressed. It has not been worn since May 6, which marked Zobrist’s last game before he stepped away from the team because of personal reasons.
Now, with the trade deadline less than three weeks away, the Cubs could look to fill his void.
“I think our starting pitching’s in good shape,” Joe Maddon said Sunday before the Cubs swept the Pirates. “I think our bullpen’s in good shape. Overall, if you could just maybe add that element where one more consistent bat, a real pro at-bat – we’re missing Zobrist.