CHICAGO -- Despite wrist surgery during the All-Star break, the Chicago Cubs still aren't saying that third baseman Ian Stewart is officially done for the season.
The likelihood that Stewart is done still remains large and the arbitration-eligible power hitter might have even played his last game in a Cubs uniform.
After a year and a half of nagging wrist injuries, a problem that started in the spring of 2011 when he was still with the Colorado Rockies, Stewart finally had surgery in Cleveland on Tuesday, a Cubs spokesperson confirmed. Stewart has already mentioned the surgery via his Twitter account.
A tiny piece of bone that was believed to be affecting a nerve was removed from Stewart's left wrist. According to Stewart, despite multiple MRIs over the last 18 months, the removed piece of bone wasn't pinpointed until an examination at the Cleveland Clinic shortly after he went on the disabled list on June 14.
If recovery takes the full eight weeks, Stewart won't return until the first week of September and he still must get into game shape without the benefit of a rehab assignment since minor league games will be finished at that point.
Stewart is making $2.2 million this season, but as an arbitration-eligible player this offseason there is the possibility he could be non-tendered which would make him a free agent. In 53 games he was batting .201 with five home runs, 17 RBIs and a .335 slugging percentage.
The Cubs obtained Stewart this winter along with right-hander Casey Weathers in exchange for outfielder Tyler Colvin and infielder DJ LeMahieu. In 65 games with the Rockies this season, Colvin is batting .305 with 13 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .626 slugging percentage.