June 22 update: Former Cubs Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber

These articles have proved popular, so I’m going to keep writing them. Please note that this doesn’t mean I want any of these players back on the Cubs; it’s simply acknowledging that these four are popular among Cubs fans and worth keeping track of.

Javier Báez

Hey, it’s possible Javy might be finally coming out of his season-long slump. Since our last update here, Báez is hitting .321/.345/.714 (9-for-28) with three doubles, a triple and two home runs. He’s currently on a six-game hitting streak. That hasn’t helped the Tigers, who are just 2-5 during the seven games since the last update here.

Here is Javy’s home run Tuesday against the Red Sox [VIDEO].

Kris Bryant

Today marks one month since KB last played for the Rockies, still out with a back problem.

But, he’s on his way back:

He went 0-for-3 with a strikeout Tuesday, and the Rockies hope he’ll be back in their lineup this weekend. Check out these “Mariachis” uniforms he wore for Albuquerque in their game at Las Vegas Tuesday:

Anthony Rizzo

As we learned for years here in Chicago, Rizzo is a streak hitter, and he’s been on a hitting binge since the last update here. Rizzo’s last eight games: .375/.500/.875 (9-for-24) with four home runs. The interesting thing about that is: Three of the four home runs were hit on the road, where Rizzo previously had hit poorly this year.

That included this grand slam hit into the second deck in Toronto last Friday [VIDEO].

That ball went a long, long way:

As is typical for Rizzo, he’ll probably hit like that for another week or so, then stop hitting for a couple of weeks. It’s just who he is.

Kyle Schwarber

Like Rizzo, Schwarber is who he is: A guy who hits for a low BA, but walks a lot for a good OBP, and hits for power. He showed that over the last week, batting .222/.432/.482 (6-for-27) with 10 walks.

He also had a two-homer game against the Nationals on June 16. Here’s the first one, a two-run shot [VIDEO].

Look how far that one went:

Those homers were hit in Philadelphia, but Schwarber has been better on the road so far this year, at least hitting for power:

Home: .214/.336/.437 (27-for-126), seven home runs in 35 games
Road: .212/.347/.525 (25-for-118), 11 home runs in 32 games

Takeaways

Three of these players have heated up as the weather has turned more summerlike, and I would expect this to continue for a while. We will see if Bryant can return to his previous form when he returns to the Rockies. I still wouldn’t have paid the money for any of these players, with the possible exception of Rizzo.