PHOENIX – The Cubs made a game-time decision Sunday, placing shortstop Nico Hoerner on the 10-day injured list with a right ankle sprain and activating shortstop Andrelton Simmons from the IL.

Hoerner sprained his ankle in a collision with an umpire Wednesday in San Diego. He said he’s been making progress each day since. On Saturday and Sunday, he tested his injury with light pregame drills. 

“All of that stuff is going to give us some information,” Ross said during Hoerner’s pregame work. “… We’ll see what kind of report I get from the trainers.” 

About an hour before game time, the Cubs announced the move. Hoerner was heading to the IL, retroactive to Thursday. 

Simmons joins the active roster for the first time this season, after signing with the Cubs this spring and starting the season on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. 

Simmons traveled to Arizona from a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa. He played six games with the I-Cubs, building up his workload. He went 2-for-24 at the plate. But he’s better known for his defensive prowess.

Simmons took ground balls at second base and shortstop before the game Sunday. Cubs bench coach Andy Green, asked after hitting fungos how Simmons looked, simply said: “He’s Andrelton Simmons. It’s go time.” 

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Hear ye, hear ye!

Hall-of-Famer Fergie Jenkins’ statue will be unveiled Friday at Gallagher Way outside Wrigley Field. Marquee Network will carry the ceremony live beginning at 11:30 a.m. before the Cubs host the Diamondbacks.

“I’ve seen the finished product,” Jenkins, 79, said from home in Frisco, Texas, “and I’m pretty excited.”

Jenkins — a 284-game winner who won 167 with the Cubs — was there when statues honoring former teammates Ernie Banks (in 2008), Billy Williams (2010) and Ron Santo (2011) made their Wrigley debuts. All three pieces have since been moved to a “Statue Row” off Clark Street, and now they can scoot over to make room for an old pal.

“It’s pretty humbling to have a statue in your image,” Jenkins said.

And here’s a little bit of inside news, courtesy of Jenkins: He’ll be introduced by a town crier. Yes, a real one. In a feathered hat and decked out in 1800s English livery, George Sims will trumpet a formal announcement. What’s so special about that? Sims is the town crier of Chatham-Kent — the Canadian burgh in Southwestern Ontario where Jenkins grew up — and has been a friend of the big right-handers for nearly half a century.

The current Cubs could use a nice day, and this will be a nice day no matter what happens inside the stadium.

“I think it’s a tribute to an organization, a team and a ballplayer and what you have to do to be successful,” Jenkins said. “Nothing comes easy in baseball, believe me.”

And here’s what’s happening:

MON 16

Pirates at Cubs (6:40 p.m., Marquee)

The Cubs are having a rough go of it, but give them credit for pulling off something long thought impossible: looking up at the Pirates in the standings.

White Sox at Royals (7:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

What a relief to be in Kansas City after that harrowing four-game series against the Yankees. Five games in four days? Hey, it might even be kind of fun.

TUE 17

NBA draft lottery (7 p.m., ESPN)

Considering Chicago is hosting this thing, shouldn’t the Bulls get at least one stinkin’ ping-pong ball? The Rockets, Magic and Pistons each have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick.

Bucks/Celtics at Heat, Game 1 (7:30 p.m., ESPN)

Miami’s Jimmy Butler has his best opportunity yet to win that elusive first championship. If he has to rub a few people the wrong way to do it, guess what? It’s all good.

Lightning at Panthers, Game 1 (TBD)

Something tells us the defending two-time champs aren’t the least bit scared even though the Panthers piled up the most points in the league. Having his best season yet, Bolts star Auston Matthews looks to cement his status as the “Florida man.”

Blues at Avalanche, Game 1 (TBD)

Colorado absolutely dominated St. Louis in a first-round sweep last season, but then failed to get out of the second round for the third year in a row. Denver is counting on Russell Wilson — oops, Nathan MacKinnon — to finally get it right.

WED 18

Fire at Red Bulls (6:30 p.m., Ch. 9)

Watch out for Lewis Morgan, who already has a hat trick under his belt in his first season in New York. The entire Fire team has scored three goals in a game only once.

Sky at Storm (9 p.m., Marquee, Amazon Prime)

Always-formidable Seattle is just 1-3, but the record gets tossed in the trash the moment Breanna Stewart gets out of COVID-19 protocol. 

THU 19

White Sox at Royals (1:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

It’s the finale of a five-game series the Sox went into absolutely needing to have some real success. Anything less and it’s officially time to worry.

FRI 20

“Cubs Live! Fergie Day Special” (11:30 a.m., Marquee)

Jenkins has his statue ceremony — and hopefully some very cooperative weather — with live coverage leading into the Cubs-Diamondbacks game.

White Sox at Yankees (6:05 p.m., NBCSCH)

For crying out loud, the Bombers again already? We could swear these teams faced each other just a New York minute ago.

SAT 21

Diamondbacks at Cubs (1:20 p.m., Marquee)

Look, we’re not trying to get anyone overly excited here, but the Cubs’ home record on Saturdays this season is a scintillating 2-1.

SUN 22

PGA Championship, final round (noon, Ch. 2)

This major event is back at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the first time since 2007, when some cat by the name of Tiger Woods put a second-round 63 on the board en route to victory. 

Sky at Mystics (2 p.m., Ch. 7)

Ever since Elena Della Donne got back on the court, it’s as if the Mystics have achieved a higher state of consciousness. OK, fine, they’re just winning more often.

White Sox at Yankees (6:08 p.m., ESPN)

It’s “Sunday Night Baseball” and, hate to tell you, but Alex Rodriguez is off the main broadcast team and doing a simulcast on ESPN2. What the heck are we supposed to complain about now?

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Left-hander Dallas Keuchel’s second consecutive impressive start Saturday night validated the trust the White Sox have shown in him after a wobbly three-game stretch.

The offense, meanwhile, continues to rely on the likes of Tim Anderson, Luis Robert and Gavin Sheets while waiting for Yoan Moncada, Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal to regain a semblance of their past production.

Moncada stepped up with a 424-foot home run off left-hander Jordan Montgomery in the fourth inning, and his walk in the ninth set the stage for a dramatic 3-2 victory that snapped the Yankees’ five-game winning streak.

Anderson drew a walk off Aroldis Chapman and advanced on the walk by Moncada.

Robert followed with a single to right past a diving first baseman Anthony Rizzo to ignite a wild celebration.

Earlier, the lack of offense caught up to the Sox in the top of the ninth inning against closer Liam Hendricks, who was summoned initially to get a five-out save.

After missing the first five weeks because of a right oblique strain, the switch-hitting Moncada is getting closer to full strength, as evidenced by his second home run in three games.

But until Robert’s hit, that was the extent of the Sox’s offense, which was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and 2-for-18 in that category over its last two games until his game-winning hit.

Despite Keuchel’s sterling five-inning effort, there was no margin for error. That was evident in the eighth inning when three consecutive well-placed singles off Joe Kelly cut the lead in half and caused manager Tony La Russa to summon Hendricks with the tying and winning runs on base.

Hendriks struck out Josh Donaldson and Gleyber Torres to end the threat, but the Yankees quickly tied the game in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Higashioka.

After allowing 25 runs in its last two losses, Keuchel provided instant relief.

“We’re a team, and everybody covers for everybody else,’ La Russa said before the game. “Like (Friday), there was late scoring, just like the first game when we give up 15 runs. That’s an ugly number, but the answer is, and it’s the way it’s supposed to be, you don’t disrespect.

“The only time you have a problem is if you don’t think a pitcher is trying or a hitter is trying, and you handle that like you would in a family. If a son or daughter shows up late, you don’t call the other person and (tell them). You handle it internally. We haven’t begun to be close to that because guys are trying.”

Abreu snapped an 0-for-21 slump with a single but popped to second with runners on first and third to end the seventh. Grandal went hitless in four at-bats and 1 for his last 15. 

Anderson and Robert provided instant support for Keuchel in the first with singles that accounted for the first run. Robert’s RBI single off Montgomery capped a 10-pitch at-bat and extended his hitting streak to 12 games, but that was the extent of the Sox’s clutch hitting. Even Anderson grounded into a double play with runners at first and second to end the fourth.

Fortunately for the Sox, Keuchel has allowed two runs over his last 11 innings and recently has shown a knack for working out of jams. He stranded Giancarlo Stanton after allowing a leadoff double in the second.

Keuchel issued a pair of two-out walks to DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge to load the bases in the fifth, but he induced Rizzo to ground to second to end the threat.

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During the early days of the season, the Fire looked like one of Major League Soccer’s most improved teams. Under coach Ezra Hendrickson, the Fire seemingly had established themselves as one of the league’s stingiest defenses and got off to the franchise’s best start since 2009.

But things have changed following a March 19 win over Sporting Kansas City. The Fire’s defense has fallen off, the attack has been too quiet and injuries and disciplinary issues have taken their toll, leading to a six-game winless streak in league play plus a humbling US Open Cup elimination at the hands of third-division Union Omaha.

Those poor results continued in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati.

Facing a Cincinnati team that’s perhaps the biggest surprise in MLS, the Fire didn’t help their own cause. Captain Raael Czichos, back from a one-game suspension he served during the Fire’s 4-1 loss at Atlanta United, gave Cincinnati the lead with a 33rd-minute own goal when his attempted headed clearance popped over Gabriel Slonina after the Fire goalkeeper strayed too far from his net.

Jhon Duran headed in a Xherdan Shaqiri corner kick for his first goal with the Fire, tying the match in the 83rd minute. 

Instead of building off that score, the Fire handed Cincinnati another goal. Two minutes later, a Slonina giveaway led to Luciano Acosta’s game-winner, extending the Fire’s MLS losing streak to four. 

At least the Fire had some significant reinforcements Saturday that made them a little more complete.

Starting on the left wing, Chris Mueller made his first Fire start and showed why he’s earned a pair of US national team appearances, forcing a 45th-minute save by Cincinnati goalie and Naperville native Roman Celentano. Still recovering from a left hip issue, young designated player Jairo Torres debuted for the Fire and showed flashes after replacing Mueller in the 71st minute.

Mueller and Torres will be expected to add dynamic elements the Fire have needed out wide.

“I think they will help improve our attacking, which we all know has been lacking, and we need to get better at,” Hendrickson said Wednesday. “But also, these guys’ work off the ball is very, very good, too. We don’t ask much of our wingers as far as defensively. They have specific, defined roles. But these guys are willing to put in the work off the ball, also.They just bring a lot of quality to the team, which is going to help us in training, making [training] more intense and then which in turn helps us on game days.”

Beyond the Fire’s recent struggles entering Saturday’s contest that dropped them to a 23% chance per FiveThirtyEight to make the playoffs, the game was important because of the upcoming schedule. Their next three matches are away from home, beginning Wednesday at the New York Red Bulls.

On Wednesday, Hendrickson said the Fire weren’t looking ahead to that road swing but recognized the significance of Saturday’s match, albeit for another reason.

“I just want to say this is a very important game for us,” Hendrickson said. “We have taken a skid. We have been on a bit of a skid recently, and we just need to get back to our way of playing where we are difficult to break down, we are difficult to score [against], and then continue to improve on the attacking side of things because the last three or four games or so have not been really good for us.”

Saturday’s result wasn’t any better.

NOTE: Kacper Przybylko (back) missed his third consecutive match. Chinonso Offor once again took Przybylko’s spot in the first 11.

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