Imanaga Injury Update: Cubs Rehab Plan
- CHICAGO — The Chicago cubs are evaluating Shota Imanaga's progress as he prepares for a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Friday.
- the left-hander, in his first season with Chicago, holds a 3-2 record with a 2.82 ERA across eight starts.
- cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday the team will assess Imanaga's performance Friday to determine the next steps in his recovery.
ImanagaS Rehab Start Key Role for cubs Rotation
CHICAGO — The Chicago cubs are evaluating Shota Imanaga’s progress as he prepares for a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Friday. Imanaga, who plays a crucial role in the Cubs’ pitching rotation, has been sidelined with a left hamstring strain.
the left-hander, in his first season with Chicago, holds a 3-2 record with a 2.82 ERA across eight starts. His injury occurred during a game against Milwaukee on may 4.
cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday the team will assess Imanaga’s performance Friday to determine the next steps in his recovery. Imanaga has already completed two scoreless rehab outings in the Arizona Complex League and had a bullpen session before joining Iowa.
The Cubs’ pitching staff could get a meaningful boost from Imanaga’s return. The team currently leads the NL Central by 6 1/2 games after defeating Milwaukee on Tuesday. Wednesday’s game against the brewers was postponed due to rain.
Imanaga signed a $53 million, four-year contract with the Cubs in January 2024. In the previous year, he achieved a 15-3 record with a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts, earning an All-Star selection and finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting.
Fellow Cubs reliever Porter Hodge is also making strides in his recovery at Iowa. Hodge is working his way back from a left oblique strain. The right-hander pitched a scoreless inning tuesday.
Counsell noted that Hodge will have at least one more appearance in Iowa before a decision is made about his return.
Hodge has appeared in 21 games this season,posting a 2-1 record with a 5.12 ERA and two saves.In 2024, he recorded a 3-1 record with a 1.88 ERA and nine saves in 39 games.
What’s next
The Cubs will closely monitor Imanaga’s rehab start and Hodge’s upcoming appearance to determine when they can rejoin the major league roster, bolstering the team’s pitching depth for the remainder of the season.