CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell accepted a 40-game suspension Wednesday for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy after a series of allegations made by his ex-wife.Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the ban and said MLB had completed its investigation into the accusations made by Melisa Reidy. Russell has denied the allegations http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-rod-carew-jersey , which Reidy detailed in a blog post in September.Russell’s unpaid suspension includes the 11 regular-season games he missed after being placed on administrative leave Sept. 21. Russell will be eligible to return on May 3 against St. Louis, barring any postponements, and he will not appeal the suspension. He will also participate in an evaluation and treatment program.Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said he’s not sure what the odds are of Russell playing another game for the Cubs.“Domestic violence is everyone’s problem,” he said. “Because of that, we all have an obligation to be part of the solution as well. The discipline in a case like this is part of the solution going forward and so we support Major League Baseball’s decision and we think it’s appropriate. But prevention is also a big part of the solution and maybe a more important solution.”The Cubs’ season ended Tuesday with a 2-1, 13-inning defeat to the Colorado Rockies in the NL wild-card game. Russell was not active for the game.MLB has said it began an investigation last year after allegations against Russell first became public.Reidy posted a photo on her Instagram account last year with a caption suggesting her husband of about 18 months had been unfaithful to her. In another post, a user described by Reidy as a close friend claimed Russell had “hit” his wife. The post was later deleted. Reidy declined to talk to MLB at the time because she decided it was not in her family’s best interests, her attorney, Thomas Field, said last year. But MLB kept the case open.Reidy published a blog post in September describing more detailed allegations, including years of physical and emotional abuse. Less than 12 hours later, MLB announced Russell had been put on leave under MLB’s domestic violence policy.“The physical stuff wasn’t like every day or every month,” Reidy told Chicago’s WGN-TV in an interview that aired Wednesday night. “Fights started getting worse. He broke my phone in half with his hands.”WGN reported that Reidy provided texts and pictures to MLB for its investigation. Reidy said she wrote the blog post because she felt the time was right. She said she wanted to support other women in similar situations and wasn’t thinking about baseball and how it would impact the Cubs.“I know how hard it is to go through something like that,” she said. “And I know how hard it is to feel trapped and alone and distant.”She said some Cubs’ wives knew “bits and pieces” of what she was experiencing but not the whole story.Epstein, meanwhile http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-nolan-ryan-jersey , said he’s wondering if there’s anything more the organization can do to support players and their families.“The part I do question myself on in general as a sports team is what is the absolute best structure that you can have for your players, for their spouses and for their families so that this never happens?” Epstein said. “I know we have a wonderful family program and we have wonderful people working for support. We try to stay as engaged as possible with the families. But clearly, because this happened, we should all be asking, ‘Can we do more?'”Epstein said it’s the Cubs’ “obligation” to give both Reidy and Russell the support they need. He also said the organization needs to see if there’s more it can do to support players and families and make sure a similar situation does not come up in the future.The Cubs have been willing to employ players following suspensions under the domestic violence policy before. All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman served a 30-game ban with the Yankees in 2016 before Chicago acquired him midseason and utilized him to end a 106-year World Series title drought.Chicago acquired Russell in a July 2014 trade with Oakland. He helped the Cubs win the World Series two years ago, batting .238 with 21 homers and 95 RBIs in 151 games.Russell hit .250 with five homers and 38 RBIs in 130 games this season.“I think we have to understand that with all of our words and actions going forward, whether we know it or not, we’re sending messages to our fans who all have their own unique backgrounds and histories and sensitivities and perspectives, and that’s important,” Epstein said. “I honestly, personally, think the most important thing going forward is to be part of the solution and making this a better place.” CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs are closing in on the NL Central championship and have their sights set on another deep playoff run.It sure would help if Kyle Hendricks keeps pitching like this. They’ll take a few more big home runs from Kris Bryant, too.Hendricks went eight innings in another strong start, Bryant connected and the Cubs moved closer to the division title while dealing another hit to St. Louis’ playoff hopes, beating the Cardinals 8-4 on Friday.“This is what you look for Cameron Maybin Jersey ,” Hendricks said. “These are the games you want to play in, games that have meaning like this. That’s why we play the game. Hopefully, we’ve got a lot of these left.”The Cubs came into the final weekend of the regular season with a franchise-record fourth straight trip to the postseason assured and their third division title in a row in sight. They remained one game ahead of Milwaukee, which beat Detroit 6-5 on Friday night.The Cubs can clinch the NL Central on Saturday — and home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs — with a win and a Brewers loss.St. Louis matched a season high with its fourth straight loss, after being swept by Milwaukee this week. The Cardinals trail Los Angeles by two games for the second NL wild card after the Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco late Friday night.With two games remaining, one more St. Louis loss or Los Angeles win would eliminate the Cardinals from postseason contention.“Clearly the back is completely against the wall,” manager Mike Shildt said.Hendricks (14-11) gave up two runs and seven hits . The right-hander is 5-1 with a 1.52 ERA in his past seven outings and has thrown a career-high 199 innings.“He’s pitched with his best stuff since I’ve known him,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “There’s not many strikeouts, not a lot of swing-and-misses. But the velocity on the fastball, he’s back to the weaker contact in general. He looks strong. … I just see a stronger version of Kyle.”Bryant made it 3-0 with a long solo drive to center against Adam Wainwright in the fourth.That gave the 2016 NL MVP just two homers in 27 games and 13 total in a season marked by injuries. Bryant missed the previous two games because of a bruised left wrist after getting hit by a pitch and was on the disabled list two times this year because of left shoulder inflammation.Daniel Murphy had two hits, two runs and an RBI. He singled and scored in a two-run first, doubled and came around in the fifth, and added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.Anthony Rizzo had an RBI single and sacrifice fly.Albert Almora drove in two with a single against Dominic Leone to cap a three-run eighth, making it 8-2, and the Cubs won their third in a row after losing four of six.“We’ve been here before http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-reggie-jackson-jersey ,” Bryant said, referring to three straight appearances in the NLCS and a World Series championship in 2016 that ended a drought dating to 1908. “We’ve been under pressure situations. I think we know how to handle it.”Wainwright (2-4) is now 11-3 lifetime at Wrigley Field. He lasted five innings, allowing four runs and five hits, in what could be his final start for the Cardinals. Though he didn’t sound like a player ready to walk away, the three-time All-Star has an expiring contract and was on the disabled list three times this season because of hamstring and elbow injuries.“If you had asked me that question about two months ago, I would have already checked out on you,” Wainwright said. “But the way I’m feeling right now, if that is my last start, it would be kind of hard to walk away knowing the way I’m feeling right now.”TRAINER’S ROOMCubs: Manager Joe Maddon said he wasn’t sure if reliever Pedro Strop (strained left hamstring) will pitch this weekend. The right-hander still feels some discomfort on the landing throwing off the mound. Strop has been sidelined since Sept. 13, when he was hurt running to first on a double-play grounder at Washington. … The Cubs activated C Bobby Wilson, who was acquired Aug. 30 from Minnesota on Friday. The Twins placed him on the 10-day disabled list Aug. 24 because of a sprained right ankle.UP NEXTCardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (17-4, 2.94 ERA) looks to win his fifth straight start, after holding San Francisco to two runs and two hits in seven innings on Sunday.Cubs: LHP Cole Hamels (4-2, 2.47) tries to shake off back-to-back losses after going 4-0 in his first nine starts for Chicago following a trade from Texas. He homered against Pittsburgh on Monday but got outpitched by Jameson Taillon.