PITTSBURGH — The Cubs beat the Pirates for their seventh win in nine games Tuesday night and then spent several minutes each after the game answering more injury questions.
It’s become a painful theme not only with the Cubs but baseball at large this season.
And when Nico Hoerner suffered the latest hamstring injury sure to require an injured-list move by Wednesday’s game, this one cut especially deep for the Cubs.
“It’s big,” said Jake Arrieta, the winning pitcher in Tuesday’s 4-3 victory. “If it’s [Kris Bryant], Javy [Báez], even Nico — it’s as important. It’s really tough to see.”
There’s almost a week still left to play in May, and the Cubs already have eight players who have gone on the IL just in the last five weeks — a trend across baseball that is making teams like the Cubs sit up and take notice of what might be a new normal for a return to a 162-game schedule after last summer’s pandemic-shortened season.
“It does seem like that,” said Cubs manager David Ross, who watched his spark-plug second baseman grab his left hamstring in pain after tumbling over first base trying to beat out a grounder in the sixth.
“I don’t know that anybody’s put their finger on exactly why,” Ross said. “It’s definitely on our radar, with the tendency we’ve seen around the league, and I’ve tried to emphasize rest and get guys off their feet as best we can. But even coming off an off day [Tuesday], just things are going to happen that are out of our control.”
Hoerner — who returned two weeks ago from a forearm injury resulting from his outfield collision with teammate Ian Happ — will be the fourth hamstring injury represented on the IL once the move is made (also outfielders Jason Heyward, Jake Marisnick and pitcher Justin Steele).
Báez and Willson Contreras also missed time with hamstring issues but avoided the IL.
Three others are on the IL with back strains: infielder Matt Duffy and pitchers Alec Mills and Shelby Miller.
Duffy was a bout the Cubs hoped the extra day off would help. First baseman Anthony Rizzo also left one game last week with back tightness and missed the next game before returning to the lineup.
“It may be one of those seasons where [being] the healthiest group on the backside of this whole thing is the real competitive advantage in the whole scheme of what we’re going through,” Ross said.
Until then, they’re dealing with one of their biggest injury losses of the season for an undetermined stretch.
Eric Sogard, who took over at second after the injury, figures to get a lot of the fill-in time for Hoerner as part of a domino-effect shortage with Duffy sidelined.
Hoerner, who acknowledged he thought he deserved to make the opening roster after a good spring, has played like a man on a mission in the field and at the plate since — his two hits before the injury Tuesday raising his average to .338 with an .837 OPS.
After joining a team with a losing record when he was called up, Hoerner has been an integral part in the Cubs’ surge. They’re 17-13 since his recall — 14-7 in May.
“He was very emotional, and rightfully so,” Arrieta said. “He takes care of himself and prepares as good as anybody I’ve seen, so it’s tough to see. I feel bad for him, and I feel bad for our team.
“But we’ve shown the ability to have other guys step up and fill a role that’s necessary until guys like that get healthy. So hopefully we’re still able to do that and move on and fill the gap until he’s healthy.”
It makes the continued health and performance of streaking left fielder Joc Pederson especially important.
His fifth three-hit game Tuesday since returning May 4 from a hand injury included two homers and boosted his average since then to .369 and OPS to .980.
“I feel like he has some of the more consistent at-bats since he’s been back,” Ross said. “He’s using all fields, hitting the ball hard, pulling the ball, and doesn’t matter who’s in there, righty or lefty, he seems to give you a pretty strong AB.
“I think he’s just found his timing. This is that playoff-type player that you see when he’s locked in, and he looks really good right now and swinging the bat as good as anybody.”
If only he could play second base like a Gold Glove finalist for a few weeks while he’s at it.
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