ATLANTA — Nico Hoerner did not want to push it unnecessarily.
As much as he strives to be on the field every game for the Chicago Cubs, there are times to keep the big picture in mind. Hoerner was scratched from the lineup shortly before the Cubs’ 7-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves after tweaking his left hamstring during batting practice.
The Cubs (24-19) managed only three hits against lefty Chris Sale and the Braves bullpen. They failed to advance a runner past second base en route to being shut out in back-to-back games.
Hoerner is day-to-day, and manager Craig Counsell wants to see how he’s feeling Wednesday before determining whether he is back in the lineup. Asked if the hamstring tightness was an issue prior to Tuesday, Hoerner said, “I mean, we’re always dealing with little things here and there.
“But I felt like I’ve been in a good spot to where I can still be a good version of myself on the field and today wasn’t quite at that level where I felt like that.”
The Cubs understandably want to be cautious when it comes to injury given the overall health of their roster. Eight players are currently on the injured list, including five relievers. As competitors, it can be tough to know when they can push through an ailment versus pulling back and accepting rest as the best course of action.
“That’s one of the harder parts of what we do, especially for pitchers when they’re in the bullpen and having to make those decisions, I don’t envy those guys with that at all,” Hoerner said. “For myself, personally, I take pride in being available every day and especially in the stretch when our team has needed all the bodies we can get, so I was definitely disappointed not to be out there today.”
With Dansby Swanson on the IL and Hoerner out, Miles Mastrobuoni started at shortstop and showed why his versatility has been valuable off the bench despite limited playing time. He made a nifty backhanded play on a pop-up slide toward the third base hole to throw out Orlando Arcia on a dart to first base for the first out in the second inning.
What a play by Mastrobuoni
pic.twitter.com/cbTn2EosiE
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 14, 2024
“He did a heck of a job,” Counsell said.
Added Hoerner: “Just really impressive and even more so when you’re asked to play all parts of the field and he’s a great athlete with plenty of arm strength, as he showed today, so definitely a lot of confidence when he’s out there.”
The Braves did most of their damage in the sixth inning off right-hander Jameson Taillon in his first start since May 4. They put up six runs, only one earned because of a Taillon fielding error, led by two home runs in the inning. José Cuas and Tyson Miller each threw two shutout innings to save the bullpen.
“I don’t think it was a stuff thing, just a simple didn’t execute and the inning got long on me,” Taillon said. “I threw a lot of pitches (85 total). They were grinding me out and hit some mistakes. I didn’t get away with anything in the fourth.
“I didn’t feel rusty until that inning got long. Maybe felt like I got a little tired there. But I don’t know, I think if I go out there and execute better, (the long layoff) is not even a thought.”
Ian Happ got the night off, which Counsell said was not health-related, as he tries to get on track at the plate. In his last 28 games spanning 118 plate appearances, Happ is hitting only .177 with a .288 on-base percentage, .533 OPS, five extra-base hits and five RBIs while striking out 36 times and recording 15 walks.
“He’s not on it right now,” Counsell said Tuesday. “He’s a little caught in between, which this is what happens when players struggle a little bit and it’s nothing that Ian can’t turn around really quickly and I really think it will. So sometimes you try to take just a day away from competition to do that.”
