Tommy Birch

tbirch@dmreg.com

Welcome back, Kris Bryant.

Bryant was back in the Iowa Cubs starting lineup for Tuesday's game at Principal Park after missing two games with a foot injury.

The hard-hitting 22-year-old is batting third and playing at third base in Iowa's lineup against the Salt Lake Bees. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.

Bryant drew a walk as a pinch-hitter in Monday's game but was lifted for a pinch-runner.

He hasn't started since Aug. 16 when he left Iowa's game with what was later diagnosed as a left foot contusion. Bryant, who had first injured it fouling a ball off his foot earlier last week, aggravated it during the game and left before the start of the third inning.

The injury set off a scare for Cub fans who took to social media expressing their concerns over last year's first round draft pick. Turns out, things are just fine.

Bryant has torn apart opposing pitching this season hitting .333 with 40 home runs and 103 RBIs between double-A and triple-A. He entered Tuesday's game hitting .306 with 18 homers and 45 RBIs in 57 games with Iowa.

Bryant will be a welcome addition back to the Iowa lineup. The Cubs have lost four straight games and began the day three games back of the Omaha Storm Chasers for first place in the Pacific Coast League's American Northern division.

Player-coach Manny Ramirez is also in Iowa's lineup hitting sixth as the team's designated hitter.

For updates during the game, follow Register reporter Tommy Birch on Twitter @TommyBirch.