Jonathan Villar Carted off vs. Diamondbacks with Apparent Back Injury

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Jonathan Villar was forced to leave Friday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks after laying out to catch a ball, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Haudricourt added that it appeared to be his back, and noted the team brought a cart out to take him off the field.

Villar became an everyday player for the first time after getting traded to the Brew Crew before the 2016 season. He responded with a breakout campaign featuring 62 stolen bases, which led MLB, and 19 home runs for the NL Central club.

The 26-year-old infielder has remained mostly durable throughout his time in the major leagues. He dealt with a minor ankle injury during the early stage of last year but ended up playing 156 games.

If the current ailment forces him out of the lineup, Eric Sogard figures to get the first opportunity at a more extensive role. Nick Franklin should also see more playing time as manager Craig Counsell shuffles the batting order for the time being.

All told, Villar was a revelation for the Brewers last year after spending the first three seasons in a utility role for the Houston Astros. The lack of offensive depth means Milwaukee could struggle to produce runs without his contributions.