Cubs' Jason Heyward Out Of Starting Lineup For 2nd Straight Game

(CBS) As his hitting struggles continue, outfielder Jason Heyward is absent from the Cubs' starting lineup for the second consecutive game Friday.

Jorge Soler will start in right field while Matt Szczur gets the nod in left field as Chicago plays at Colorado. It's the first time Heyward has been out of the starting lineup in back-to-back games since he rested several days in May with an injury. Friday's absence may something to do with the Rockies starting a left-hander in Tyler Anderson.

Heyward is hitting .225 with five homers, 32 RBIs and a .617 OPS in 108 games. On Thursday, manager Joe Maddon emphasized Heyward will remain a starting outfielder for the Cubs.

Heyward has been under the spotlight since signing an eight-year, $184-million deal with the Cubs last December.

"He'd be the first one to tell you he's not happy with his offensive output," Maddon told reporters. "But if you're standing in the dugout — and if you don't know anything else about (his) batting average — you look at our record and you look at him in right field. I can't be more comfortable with this guy (out there) while we're playing baseball.

"He's such a good baseball player. He's such a great teammate -- all the things he does that I believe are really important to victory, to a winning attitude, a winning team."