1:34PM: Hoerner has a small fracture in his right hand, Counsell told Maddie Lee and other reporters, and the Cubs are still deciding whether or not a stint on the injured list is the ideal course of action. Team doctors have okayed the possibility of Hoerner playing if the swelling and discomfort in his hand dissipates.
9:05AM: The Cubs’ rough stretch continued with yesterday’s 3-2 loss to the Reds, which dropped Chicago into a tie with Cincinnati for second place in the NL Central. After spending a good chunk of the season’s first six weeks battling for the division lead, the Cubs are 7-16 over their last 23 games, thanks in large part to a lack of hitting. Since May 13, the Wrigleyville club has a collective 79 wRC+, ranking 29th of 30 teams in that span.
More bad news might’ve come for the lineup on Friday, when Seiya Suzuki left the game due to discomfort in his left side. Suzuki was hit in the side by the ball while stealing second base in the first inning, and told MLB.com and other media after the game that his side “tightened up” before he eventually left in the sixth inning. The move was described as precautionary, in part because Suzuki has already spent four weeks on the injured list this season due to a left oblique strain.
That absence halted a strong start to Suzuki’s 2024 campaign, and the outfielder hasn’t looked the same since his return. Suzuki had an .893 OPS over his first 68 plate appearances, but has hit .234/.298/.415 in 104 PA since being activated from the IL. It could be that a couple of days off might help Suzuki both heal his contusion and act as a refresher for his season, even if Chicago needs all the help it can get at the plate at the moment. The Cubs don’t play on Monday, so if Suzuki doesn’t show improvement today, it’s possible he might sit both games this weekend to see if he can be fully ready for Tuesday and the start of the Cubs’ series with the Rays.
If Suzuki’s injury seems relatively minor for now, Nico Hoerner’s issue with his right hand could be a larger concern, as the second baseman already missed Friday’s game due to swelling and soreness. Hoerner was hit by a Hunter Greene fastball on Thursday, describing the situation to reporters (including Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times) as “always scary. A lot of small bones in that area, and unfortunately, it happens a decent amount. But it seems like I got pretty lucky….Hopefully it’s just bruising and something that cleans up once you get inflammation out of there.”
Hoerner’s status is still unknown, as he will be getting more tests done since his first set of x-rays were “somewhat inconclusive,” in the words of manager Craig Counsell. It could be that Hoerner’s hand is still too swollen for a fully accurate examination, as a smaller fracture might exist even if he has escaped without any obvious breaks. As Hoerner told Lee and company, he broke a small bone in his right wrist after a similar HBP incident in 2019.
It has been something of a typical season for Hoerner, who is batting .252/.344/.352 with two homers over his first 241 trips to the plate. His 105 wRC+ just about matches the 104 wRC+ he averaged from 2021-23, and he is continuing his penchant for making a lot of contact but very little of it solid. One plus is a greatly increased walk rate, and Hoerner’s 10% walk rate is now ahead of his elite 9.5% strikeout rate. On the defensive side, Hoerner’s metrics round out to about average, which is a big dropoff for a fielder (and reigning Gold Glove winner) who is usually among the league’s best at second base.
David Bote started at second base yesterday in Hoerner’s stead, and could be in line for quite a bit of regular action if Hoerner is forced to the IL. The Cubs may be facing a depth issue in the infield since Nick Madrigal suffered a fractured hand (also after being hit by a pitch) in a Triple-A game earlier this week. Miles Mastrobuoni and Luis Vazquez are both on the 40-man roster, so one of those infielders would almost certainly be the recall if Hoerner needed to miss time.
The Cubs did get some reinforcements back Friday when left-hander Jordan Wicks and right-hander Keegan Thompson were each activated from the 15-day injured list. Thompson was optioned to Triple-A, after being sidelined since the middle of May with a viral infection.
Wicks remains on the Major League roster, and Counsell indicated the southpaw will work out of the Cubs’ bullpen for now in a long relief role. Wicks started his five previous MLB appearances this season while filling in for some other injured Cubs pitchers, but since Chicago is enjoying some rare rotation health at the moment, Wicks will join the relief corps and will likely be the first man up should another injury arise. Wicks hasn’t pitched since April 23 due to a forearm strain that thankfully ended up being relatively minor in nature, rather than a precursor to a longer-term issue.
just_breathe
After 21 years starring on SNL, Kenan Thompson deserves better
Bucket Number Six
Wrong color, wrong shape, wrong vocation.
mlb fan
“Wrong color, wrong shape”..At least Thompson is funny; please explain how the distinctly not funny Colin Jost remains on television.
This one belongs to the Reds
There have been many who have come in and out over the years that were far from funny, just as there have been many that were a riot.
Dogbone
mlb fan, your red hat is showing.
Tigers3232
@Dogbone mlb fan is incapable of not turning towards politics. He’s a political zealots. I could not imagine letting politics suck the joy out of my life.
This one belongs to the Reds
@Tigers In the social media era, the days where you could laugh at yourself and each other has gone away forever
Tigers3232
Yeah it’s unfortunate. If I ever get to the point where I can not discuss sports without being consumed by politics, I’d find a cliff to jump off of.
SkenesandSlopes
Tigers3232 this didn’t become political until Dogbone mentioned a red hat. All I see here is him saying one guy is funny (which I disagree with) and another is not funny (I agree with that).
Or, perhaps you don’t share the same position?
(Ding. We have a winner).
Tigers3232
I don’t share any position in regards to politics especially on this platform. I’m here to discuss get this “baseball”…..
Roidville Slugger
What is up with all the injuries?!?! Everywhere, I mean. I know that’s not a hot take, but still…
letitbelowenstein
With pitchers, it’s obvious. Everyone trying to throw 110-MPH. With hitters, perhaps they’re spending too much time with the weights and conditioning. Whether you’re Barney Fife or The Rock, the human body can only go so far. You over-train and the muscles and tendons overtighten.
Spaced-Cowboy
Yoga!
This one belongs to the Reds
A lot of hand injuries. Too many guys crowding the plate and think all the armor will protect them. They’re wrong. Good pitchers will use both sides of the plate regardless.
UWPSUPERFAN77
You cannot cover hands with pads. Hundreds of little bones that get hurt easily.
its_happening
Um….many players have hand padding. Many hitters don’t hide their hands like they had to 30+ years ago when pitchers were allowed to succeed without max effort.
UWPSUPERFAN77
Guess it matters what you count as a pad.IIf it was a batting glove,maybe theydo pad the hands. Good point!
its_happening
Hitters crowd more than ever.
WhiteSx2024
They need to solidify the catcher position, gomes is old 37,Amaya is not ready
rememberthecoop
Hey, it’s nice to see a reasonable comment about the Cubs from a Sox fan for a change. You’re right but Amaya is out of options so he can’t be sent down.
rememberthecoop
Hey, it’s nice to see a reasonable comment about the Cubs from a Sox fan for a change. You’re right but Amaya is out of options so he can’t be sent down. I feel like Gomes will be dfa’d at some point.
gbs42
Someone should write an article about that.
Oh, wait…
mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/craig-counsell-discusse…
jhanley108
5 hitters in the lineup under.230 BA. Holes in LF, 3b, 1b, C and a bad bullpen. Same lineup as last year, same results. It’s a poorly put together team, especially when you have Wisdom and Bote taking roster spots. Awful franchise. Ownership keeps putting a bowl of crap in front of fans and they ask for a bigger spoon. Change the culture.
Bucket Number Six
Everybody checkout JHanley’s bad art.
Hey I’m doing everyone a favor. Maybe he’ll get some orders and it’ll keep him too busy to post the repetitive nonsense here.
jhanley108
Maybe it’s time to wipe the Cheeto dust off your fingers and get off Moms computer.
Bucket Number Six
Haha, unoriginal like your art.
Jack5102
Are the Cubbies cooked for 202??? Hope not!!!
keysox
Yes, see above.
Bullpen is horrible. No Catcher. No power. Shortstop went south.
rememberthecoop
Defense is bad too. You mentioned shortstop and yes, for some reason not only isn’t he hitting, but Swanson hasn’t been his usual self defensively. And as the article mentions, Nico is also struggling @ 2B. Combined with Morel having failed the 3B experiment, this is one bad infield. Busch isn’t good scooping up throws at 1B either. Look, offense comes and goes but bad defensive teams never win the World Series.
This one belongs to the Reds
From the outside looking in, the Shroom is a DH waiting to happen, that’s his best position. Busch is a 2B trying to play first snd looks like it. Swanson’s long term deal will be an anchor around the team’s neck but they are lucky they are a large market and have more resources. As mentioned above, need help at bullpen and catcher. Jury is still out on Bellinger and Hoerner long term.
On the bright side, Steele is filthy good and Imagana looks like the real deal. Cubs always seem to have guys coming up on the farm that contribute. When you have some starting pitching and some ready cash, there is always a lot of hope.
drasco036
Swanson has been fine defensively, not elite but not bad either. Same really can be said for Nico but also bear in mind both players have been injured. Happ’s typical solid defense also looked weak when he was dealing with his hamstring.
UWPSUPERFAN77
Are you a Cecil Cooper fan, he could play defense!
That Baseball Fan
Dansby Swanson’s defense went bad last September and it’s not recovered yet. Mayte this current defensive performance is who he really is.
Unclemike1526
This Cubs team wasn’t built for power. This club was supposed to be built around pitching and defense. It was built around having the ability to win one run games. However I have no idea how you build around pitching and leave out an important part. A stud Closer. I’m sorry but I never bought into the idea that Alzolay was that guy. He’s been totally inconsistent and injured most of his career. Not having a reliable Closer has probably lost this team at least 5 games, Probably more. The fact that the defense has been spotty makes it worse. It’s not meant to be an offensive juggernaut. The offense was just supposed to be good enough to win. The one thing Counsell has always had was the one thing Hoyer choked on. A stud Closer.
SkenesandSlopes
This Cubs team isn’t built for winning either. Too many holes on the team. Some really good talent as well they can build on. Not this year.
Unclemike1526
The Cubs will go on a run sometime. Teams go on streaks good and bad. It’s a 6 month season. They started out out winning 2 out of every three. Lately it’s been one out of 3. We’ve all seen it before. Heck the White Sox even just one 2 in a row. Anything is possible.
Unclemike1526
Oops won 2 in a row for the spelling police.
AHH-Rox
I can assure you that the Cubs won zero games in the year 202. AD or BC.
drasco036
.680 slugging over the past 7 games Marcus. Suzuki had been torching the ball.
rememberthecoop
Is that Seiya’s brother?
drasco036
Did you not see the period?
UWPSUPERFAN77
He is a solid Ham and Egger plus, but not a star
RyanD44
Without elite players on this roster, they have a very short leash when it comes to how long they can weather a storm of injuries. They don’t have a Judge, Soto, Betts, Freeman or Harper that can carry them for a couple weeks. This team needs to stay pretty healthy all year in order to win 85+ games.
Unfortunately for them, their starting pitching over-performed the first couple months and the team didn’t take advantage of it with their poor hitting, defense and pathetic bullpen. Now the starting pitching is leveling out a bit, and their offense isn’t good enough or even healthy enough to keep them in games.
This team was built with the intention to compete for a title in a bad division or to get a wild card spot. This team was not built to be an actual really good team.
UWPSUPERFAN77
Brutal, but accurate!
UWPSUPERFAN77
Bellinger and Swanson are supposed to be All star players!
Acoss1331
Cubs need another bat and a reliever for this trade deadline. Might be worth kicking the tires on a couple White Sox players, Luis Robert and Michael Kopech bundled together might not be such a bad deal. I’m just spitballing possible deals for help.
drasco036
Robert cannot play third so what would the advantage be?
pharmor_loverchicagoridge
You are obviously smoking weed with this comment
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
I’d rather have Luis Vazquez over Bote. Unfortunately he would just ride the pine for a week and a half.
Liberalsteve
Honestly,there is nothing more worthless in 2024 than paying a manager any amount of money. I would rather have a 25 year old MIT grad student managing than Counsell. No hunches.Everything based 100% by stats
UWPSUPERFAN77
Overmanaging with platooning and too many stats! You hit it on the head. I like Murphys gut with the Brewers more than you Super manger prodigy!
Doug Dascenzo's Mob Boss Dad
Christopher Morel apparently doesn’t have a fully functional left hand because of a freak injury from his time in the minor leagues. What could possibly go wrong with the Cubs using another one-handed infielder?
For Love of the Game
I’m no doctor, but I’ve played plenty of ball. How do they think Nico will avoid the IL with a fractured hand? Wouldn’t it hurt like the devil to grip the bat properly?
UWPSUPERFAN77
You guys are so serious. You could use some humor. My nickname for Nico is: Nico Hoerner with a thumb in the pie! On the serious side, He will be missed if on the injury list. He plays hard all the time. Not sure why he is having an off season on defense!
raulp
Cubs roster is not balanced, so many holes. Reds have not been so good, but as long as key players return from IL, they’ll be better. They should fight for Division’s 2nd place easily.
This one belongs to the Reds
With all the young talent they have, the Reds are a smart GM away from having a roster who could compete with anyone in the postseason should they make it the next few years.
Too bad for this group that they don’t have one.
Unclemike1526
Pretty much anything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Timely bad base running, Timely bad fielding, Timely injuries, Timely bad manager decisions, Timely bullpen failures. Despite all that they’re still only 2 games under .500 and still in it. Sooner or later things will even out and they should be fine. Despite having bad luck they’ve still played the most 1 run games in the Majors. That worm is going to turn.
its_happening
Because your team plays in a weak division. Soft reload.
UWPSUPERFAN77
Cubs have a good rotation, capable of making a run!
Jump 84
Its gonna happen.
Jump 84
Again.
UWPSUPERFAN77
All teams in the Division still have a chance. As much as I am happy this PM. my Brewers still have a questionable rotation. Lets play it out. We still have Freddie, the Ham and Eggers and the never Weres in our rotation.
pharmor_loverchicagoridge
Instead of spending all that money on a manager the cubs should have been focused on bringing in better players. Give Ronnie the Woo woo a tryout . He couldn’t hurt!!