Javier Baez made it easy for Cubs manager David Ross to find a scapegoat.
Baez made a pair of mental mistakes that only added to the Cubs’ offensive woes in a 5-0 loss to the Indians on Monday night.
In the fourth inning, the star shortstop forgot how many outs there were and was doubled off first. Earlier in the game, Baez did not take a lead off first base, waiting until the pitch was thrown.
Ross promptly pulled Baez from the game after the double play. Utility infielder Sergio Alcantara was put in at shortstop in Baez’s stead.
“I can’t go against him. I blame it on myself,” Baez told reporters. “I lost count of the outs. We talked about it. We’re on the same page. I’ll be there tomorrow to help the team.”
The defeat to the Indians was the Cubs’ sixth loss in eight games. Throughout that span, they’ve only scored more than two runs once and have been outscored 39-12 by their opponents.
“We just got to make sure we’re focused and locked in during a game,” Ross said after the loss. “Sometimes, our frustrations can distract us a little bit. We had a good conversation, and I think that’s behind us. Javy is really important to this team. He’s a leader on this team and set a good example every time he’s on the field. It’s just a little bit of lapse in concentration. We talked about it, and that’s behind us.”