Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner was out of the lineup on Friday, after being hit on the right hand by a pitch the day before.
He took X-rays of the injury Thursday after the game, but the results, manager Craig Counsell said, were “somewhat inconclusive.” Hoerner will undergo further testing.
“Sore today,” Hoerner said before the Cubs’ game Friday against the Reds. “And I just wasn’t able to swing how I wanted to, obviously, to play a game today.”
Hoerner sustained the injury in the fourth inning of the Cubs’ 8-4 loss Thursday. Reds right-hander Hunter Greene threw a 96.5 mph fastball up and in, catching Hoerner on his back hand, just above the wrist, on a check swing. After being examined by head athletic trainer Nick Frangella on the field, Hoerner remained in the game.
“Always scary,” Hoerner said. “A lot of small bones in that area, and unfortunately, it happens a decent amount. But it seems like I got pretty lucky.”
Hoerner had a minor-league IL stint in 2019 after a similar hit by pitch, a check swing on a ball up and in. That time, he said he broke a small bone in his right wrist.
Now, Hoerner’s status is considered day-to-day as the Cubs monitor his recovery and gather more information.
“Hopefully it’s just bruising and something that cleans up once you get inflammation out of there,” Hoerner said.
His hand was visibly swollen Friday afternoon.
David Bote started at second base in Hoerner’s absence. And with lefty Nick Lodolo starting for the Reds, third baseman Patrick Wisdom took Hoerner’s spot in the batting order, leading off.
“Essentially just trying to get a guy that’s had success in his career against left handed pitching as at-bats as we can against the starter,” Counsell said.
Wicks returns
The Cubs left-hander Jordan Wicks (strained left forearm) from the 15-day IL on Friday and optioned reliever Porter Hodge to Triple-A Iowa.
Wicks, who built up to 3 ⅓ innings in his last rehab start, will be available out of the bullpen, Counsell said.
“We can have a stretched out pitcher but not with the big league team, or we can have what we feel like is a good pitcher with the big-league team,” Counsell said. “So that’s what you’re weighing. While we’re healthy, we definitely choose the big-league pitcher.”
Injury update
Cubs reliever Yency Almonte (strained right shoulder) has arrived in Arizona and was set to throw a bullpen Friday at the team’s spring training complex.
Right-hander Caleb Kilian, who strained his shoulder in spring training and has been on the 60-day IL all season, also has started a mound progression in Arizona. He was set to throw his second full bullpen Friday, after graduating from the light mound session portion of his buildup.
