The injury blows just keep coming for the Cubs.

On the same day Craig Counsell shared the news that Ben Brown will be on the shelf for a while with a neck injury, fellow rookie pitcher Jordan Wicks exited his start with an injury.

Counsell said after the game it is a right oblique strain for Wicks and the team will get imaging on the injury Saturday.

Wicks will likely head to the IL, Counsell confirmed.

“Just felt tightness in my right side after making a pitch,” Wicks said. “Didn’t think a whole lot of it, threw a couple more and it just didn’t really get any better. And when it persisted a couple pitches in a row, I knew something wasn’t right.”

Wicks made his return to the rotation Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field against the Cardinals, starting in Brown’s spot.

Wicks missed about 6 weeks with a forearm injury earlier this season and when he returned, he initially made an appearance out of the bullpen on June 8 before Friday’s start.

With 2 outs in the top of the 2nd inning, Wicks gave up a single to St. Louis centerfielder Dylan Carlson and was seen wincing. That prompted Counsell and a Cubs trainer to head out to the mound and after a brief conversation, Wicks departed.

“It’s extremely frustrating,” Wicks said. “Especially just coming back from the IL and feeling like I was in an outstanding spot physically. To have something like this happen, it’s definitely frustrating but there’s not a whole lot we can do about it right now.”

Kyle Hendricks came on to relieve for Wicks and got the final out of the 2nd inning on a groundball to second base.

Hendricks ultimately threw 4.1 innings of shutout ball, allowing only 2 singles. He retired the first 11 batters he faced.

With Wicks and Brown both out for at least the next couple weeks, the Cubs have an opening to fill in the rotation. Counsell acknowledged that Hendricks is the likely option to take that spot when it comes up next week.

“We’ll take a look and see where we’re at,” Counsell said. “But we’re down pitchers right now. I mean, you lose two guys within four days. … We’ll see where we’re at when we get there but I think it looks like it.”

Hendricks got off to a rough start this season. He carried a 10.57 ERA through 7 starts before the Cubs opted to move him to the bullpen.

He initially struggled as a reliever as well but has been lights out in June. In 8.2 innings across 3 appearances this month, he hasn’t allowed a run.

“In a lot of ways, Kyle continues to impress you,” Counsell said. “Even though he’s had a tough go of it so far. He’s worried about things that he can control. And that’s to be ready when his name is called and to not make it any more complicated than that. Easier said than done, with what Kyle has accomplished and what he has meant here.

“But I think an outing like today is proof that that’s how Kyle conducts himself and goes about his day is to be ready for the next opportunity, no matter what is going on or no matter what’s happened in the past. And I thought today was great example of it.”

The Cubs have other former starters in the bullpen in Hayden Wesneski and Drew Smyly.

But neither are as stretched out as Hendricks. Smyly hasn’t thrown more than 2.2 innings this season. Wesneski began the year in the minors, came up as a long reliever and then made a few starts. But over the past month, he has been exclusively a reliever and has not had an appearance more than 1.2 innings since June 13.