CINCINNATI — Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner was out of the lineup 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 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. 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 checked swing. After being examined by head trainer Nick Frangella, 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 stint on the minor-league injured list in 2019 after a similar hit by pitch, a checked 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.
“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. And with lefty Nick Lodolo starting for the Reds, third baseman Patrick Wisdom took Hoerner’s leadoff spot in the batting order.
“Essentially just trying to get a guy that’s had success in his career against left-handed pitching as many at-bats as we can against the starter,” Counsell said.
Wicks returns
The Cubs activated 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 3⅓ 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, has started a mound progression in Arizona. He was set to throw his second full bullpen, after graduating from the light mound session portion of his buildup.
