SAN DIEGO — The Cubs have put at least one player on the injured list for four straight days. As if that wasn’t testing their depth enough, they saw shortstop Nico Hoerner exit their game Wednesday afternoon after a collision with an umpire.
Hoerner sustained right ankle soreness and was undergoing further evaluation, the Cubs said.
Hoerner departed the series finale against the Padres at Petco Park in the second inning. One inning earlier, he was running into relay position in the outfield when he crashed into second-base umpire Dan Iassogna in short right-center field.
Hoerner fell to the ground with the ball still in play as Jurickson Profar reached third base after hitting the ball to the center-field wall. Hoerner was checked by the Cubs’ athletic trainer and stayed in the game for the moment. He struck out in the top of the second inning, then was replaced on defense by Ildemaro Vargas.
Losing Hoerner for any extended period would be yet another blow for a Cubs squad that has lost 15 of its past 19 games and has endured roster turmoil. Hoerner entered Wednesday fourth on the team with a bWAR mark of 0.9, and he is batting .271 with a .689 OPS. He’s been better than that of late, batting .305 since April 21.
Hoerner has been starting at shortstop because free-agent signee Andrelton Simmons has been sidelined all season with right shoulder inflammation. Since this past weekend, Chicago has seen second baseman Nick Madrigal (lower back tightness), starting…