With the Cubs out of town (they’re headed to New York for a three-game set with the Yankees this weekend), the Bears took over Wrigley Field Thursday, holding a team-building event in lieu of practice. Starting quarterback Justin Fields, once a star infielder for Harrison High School in his native Georgia, got a chance to take batting practice, displaying his power stroke by launching this one deep into the left-field bleachers.
Though more known for his pitching prowess (he held a 4.43 ERA over 34 appearances including two starts for Notre Dame), tight end Cole Kmet, as demonstrated Thursday, can also hit bombs. Where’s Statcast when you need ‘em? That ball must have traveled well over 400 feet.
Who knows how far Fields could have gone in his baseball career if that had been his focus, though he probably made the right call, at least financially, choosing football with the Bears signing him to a fully guaranteed, four-year, $18.87-million contract last offseason (his deal also includes a team option for 2025). Fields’ heroics on the diamond were impressive, but the highlight of Thursday’s outing was a wildly entertaining cup-stacking competition held in the visiting clubhouse. As documented by Lamar Jackson (of no relation to the Ravens quarterback who shares his name), running back Khalil Herbert almost reached the ceiling before his cup creation inevitably crumbled, collapsing into oblivion like the Roman Empire.
Expectations for the Bears this season are relatively low—DraftKings set their win total at a conservative 6.5—though credit coach Matt Eberflus for creating a fun atmosphere amid what many figure will be a lengthy rebuild.
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