BOSTON -- When Christopher Morel jogged off the field on Saturday night and tossed the baseball he just chased down to fans sitting behind the visitors’ dugout, that was a good indication that the third baseman probably dodged a serious injury. That was the positive that emerged from an otherwise messy evening at Fenway Park.

“I think he’s fine,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I think he just kind of got startled a little bit.”

In the seventh inning of a 17-0 loss to the Red Sox, Morel collided with left fielder Alexander Canario while making an acrobatic catch on a fly ball off the bat of Jarren Duran. They both went down hard but came away more sore than scathed. That was a relief for a Cubs team missing Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki due to injuries.

Those absences are just two of the things Chicago is contending with within this stretch of 16 games in 16 days. Another is making sure the pitching does not become too tattered, and Counsell did what he could to manage that Saturday by concluding the night with two position players (Matt Mervis and Patrick Wisdom) on the mound in the eighth, when an 11-run deficit grew by six.

“When that’s the score, you’ve got to start thinking about tomorrow, absolutely,” Counsell said. “They beat us. On to the next day.”

Another blow arrived after Saturday’s loss, when the Cubs announced that left-hander Jordan Wicks was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday due to left forearm tightness. Righty Hayden Wesneski was named as the club’s replacement starter against the Red Sox.

Morel was asked if he felt he could be back on the field Sunday.

“I feel pretty positive, but we’ll see,” Morel said via interpreter Fredy Quevedo Jr. “Ultimately, that decision will be up to the manager.”

With two outs in the seventh, Duran lofted a pitch from Cubs reliever Colten Brewer down the left-field line. Morel hustled back as the ball carried to the area of the outfield where foul territory shrinks and the side wall is closer to the chalk line. Canario also closed in on the fly ball but ducked at the last second as Morel jumped.

“It’s kind of a unique setting here,” said Nico Hoerner, who moved to shortstop from second base in the seventh. “Just two guys trying to make a play. It’s always super scary.”

Morel made the catch, but he had to awkwardly avoid Canario as he landed. The third baseman hit the ground, rolling over onto his back before sitting up and grimacing in pain. Morel said both of his elbows and his right hip were “banged up” on the play.

“I was just trying to secure the ball,” Morel said. “I didn’t hear anything in the moment, but the important thing is nobody got injured. We’re both fine, and nothing major happened.”

Cubs starter Ben Brown, who exited after giving up three runs in 3 2/3 innings, saw the play unfold on the broadcast as he went through his post-outing work in the clubhouse.

“I’m glad both of them were able to walk off,” Brown said. “They’re both strong dudes.”

Morel exited before the eighth, but the lopsided nature of the game made that an obvious decision on the Cubs’ part. And once the dust settled on the play, it was easier to appreciate the range it took for Morel to even be in position to make that catch. Per Statcast, the third baseman covered 90 feet to make the grab.

Hoerner noted that Morel’s defense has been “under the microscope,” and that is true. Since Spring Training, the 24-year-old has worked exclusively at that position after serving as a utility man for the Cubs the past two years. As April has progressed, Morel’s defense has looked much more consistent at the hot corner.

“A big part of third base that’s very different than playing middle infield is just the internal clock and rhythm and tempo of it,” Hoerner said. “It seems like he’s really found a nice, steady tempo on the routine plays. He’s found kind of a cruising speed.”

Hoerner added that Morel is also athletic enough to make some plays that other Cubs infielders might not be able to make.

“It’s incredible,” Hoerner said. “He’s finding that sweet spot of combining continuing to make the routine plays like we all strive to and then letting athletic ability play. That’s a special thing, and there’s no reason to set a ceiling on what he can be over there. I think he’s done a great job.”