Cubs’ Nico Hoerner exits game with ‘left-sided neck tightness,’ per team

Not you, too, Nico Hoerner.

The Cubs‘ best player this season exited Friday’s series opener against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field with “left-sided neck tightness,” according to the team. With all the injuries sustained by the Cubs already — most of them among pitchers — losing an All-Star-caliber leadoff man and second baseman for any length of time would be far from ideal.

Facing Zac Gallen, Hoerner led off the bottom of the first with a gapper to left-center for a double. He came around and scored on Michael Busch’s two-out, two-run base hit in the Cubs’ three-run frame.

Hoerner, who entered the game hitting .291 with a team-high 26 RBI, was in the field for the top of the second but got no action. Utility man Matt Shaw pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the inning.