Cubs left fielder Joc Pederson left the Cubs’ 4-3 loss Saturday at San Francisco with right lower back tightness.
The issue stemmed from a play in the third inning, according to Chicago Cubs manager David Ross. Giants three-hole hitter Alex Dickerson drove a two-run home run to left field. Pederson tracked the long fly back to the wall. As he reached it, he turned to his left and jumped, the left side of his body colliding with the padding.
“He hit that wall pretty hard, or awkwardly,” Ross said. “Felt like his back just kept stiffening up. I kept seeing him push it there.”
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In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Ross pulled Pederson from the lineup. Rafael Ortega replaced him in the leadoff spot, playing center field. Kris Bryant moved from center to left.
“Seem to loosen it up,” Ross said of Pederson’s back after the game. “I think it was probably about 70 percent, after the game, said a lot of it let go.”
In two at-bats against Giants starting pitcher Kevin Gausman on Saturday, Pederson flew out and struck out. Pederson hit a home runs in each of the Cubs’ first two games at San Francisco.
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“I definitely think he feels real comfy competing in this environment,” Cubs manager David Ross said of the former Dodger before Saturday’s game. “He's done that a lot in his career.”
Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward had just returned from the 10-day IL (hamstring strain) to start Saturday. Center fielder Jake Marisnick (hamstring strain) also met the team in San Francisco after a rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs are expected to activate Marisnick off the 10-day IL during this road trip, as soon as Sunday, depending on how he recovers from a workout Saturday.