Heyward leaves Cubs game with apparent ab injury

The Chicago Cubs suffered another injury scare to an outfielder Friday night.

Right fielder Jason Heyward made a spectacular diving catch on a drive to right-center off the bat of the San Francisco Giants' Denard Span leading off the bottom of the first inning at AT&T Park. Heyward grabbed his right side, although it was difficult to see exactly what the injury was. He walked off the field under his own power with the team's athletic trainers by his side. Word out of San Francisco was that Heyward was being evaluated for an injury to his right torso/abdominal region.

The Cubs already have lost outfielder Kyle Schwarber for the season with a knee injury he suffered during the first week of the season at Arizona.

Heyward was the Cubs' marquee acquisition of the off-season, as he signed an eight-year, $184 million free-agent contract after playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015.

Friday's game began as a duel between pitchers Jake Peavy of the Giants and Cubs ace Jake Arrieta.

Looking at Arrieta's record, it's hard to imagine he could be better for the Cubs in the early going.

Arrieta entered Friday night's start with a record of 7-0 and an ERA of 1.29.

But both Arrieta and Cubs manager Joe Maddon say there is much more there that has yet to be tapped.

"That's part of being starter," Arrieta said in Milwaukee before the Cubs embarked on the West Coast portion of their three-city road trip. "The old cliché: You have 10 where you're average, 10 where you're good and 10 where you're bad. That's as far as stuff goes. But you can still win those games when you don't have your best stuff, and that's what I've already done three or four times this year."

If Arrieta has done a good job of hiding it, he says that's the whole point.

"If you can't tell that it's one of the nights where I haven't been as sharp as I'd like, that's what you're going for," he said. "You want to present to the other team and people in the stadium that you're on your game that night regardless of how you actually feel. I've been able to disguise that well and put my best foot forward regardless of my stuff that night and still get wins."

Maddon said Arrieta can be even better.

"I know his record is really good," Maddon said on his pregame WSCR 670-AM radio show." I know he's had a good season, but I'm telling you, there's another level or so of Jake to be had."