The Chicago Cubs will take precautions with Shota Imanaga, as the left-handed pitcher recovers from his first hamstring injury.
Imanaga was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday due to a mild left hamstring strain. He plans to keep his arm loose by playing catch while giving his leg time to recover.
Talking with the doctor, he even mentioned that it was good that it wasn’t a shoulder or elbow injury. So, thinking positively. Being a lower body injury, I will continue throwing. We’ll just take it from there.
Shota Imanaga
The hamstring injury is a new experience for 31-year-old Imanaga, so the Japanese pitcher and the Cubs are unsure what to expect in terms of recovery time.
Justin Steele, left-handed pitcher for the Cubs, suffered a left hamstring strain on Opening Day last year, March 28. He returned to the team’s rotation on May 6, 2024.
It’s the same injury, in terms of it’s a hamstring injury. I think they’re two different individuals. The severity is different, so we have to take it case by case. We’re just going to progress day by day for a while.
Craig Counsell
Imanaga communicated with Steele on Tuesday morning about his injury and recovery. Steele is out for the rest of the season due to an elbow injury.
Imanaga was injured when he went to cover first base on a potential double play in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 4-0 loss in Milwaukee. He is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts this year.
In his previous outing in Pittsburgh, he pitched five and a third innings before exiting with leg cramps. However, he said doctors informed him there was no direct correlation between the injuries.
For me, I try to prepare 100 percent for each start. If you think about why the injury was caused, there are probably many different factors at play. So for me it’s good to take some time and reflect on what I need to work on, whether it’s pre-game preparation, and what kind of adjustments I need to make.
Shota Imanaga
Imanaga signed a four-year, $53 million contract with Chicago in January 2024. He went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts last year, was selected to the National League All-Star team, and finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
Imanaga’s injury creates another vacancy in a depleted rotation for the National League Central leaders. Steele made his last start of the season on April 7, and Javier Assad is on the injured list with an oblique issue.
Counsell said the Cubs haven’t decided how they’ll handle Imanaga’s spot on Saturday against the New York Mets. Cade Horton, one of the team’s top prospects, and Chris Flexen are two potential options.
