Luis Vázquez in St. Pete Ahead of Rays Series Could Indicate Nico Hoerner IL Move

Luis Vázquez has not played for the Iowa Cubs since last Thursday, which just happens to be the same night Nico Hoerner suffered a fractured right hand when he was hit by a pitch. As the Cubs decide what to do with their regular second baseman, Vázquez remains on call. That includes heading to St. Petersburg — per his Instagram story — ahead of the upcoming three-game set against the Rays, which seems like a strong indication that the Cubs will indeed place Hoerner on the IL.

The latest update was that Hoerner might be able to play through the injury, but he first had to let the pain and swelling subside. While it’s still entirely possible they flew Vázquez out as a precaution, it might be more prudent to shelve Hoerner for at least a minimum stay just so he can heal up a little more. We’ll know more tomorrow when Craig Counsell addresses the media, so stay tuned for updates.

If Vázquez is indeed brought back up for another big league stiQnt, it would be nice to see him get more than one plate appearance this time.