CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs are going to be cautious with Shota Imanaga while the left-hander recovers from his first hamstring injury.
Imanaga was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a mild left hamstring strain. He is planning to keep his arm loose by playing catch while he gives his leg time to recover.
“Talking to the doctor he even mentioned that it was good that it wasn’t like a shoulder or an elbow injury,” Imanaga said Tuesday through a translator. “So just kind of thinking positively there. With it being a lower-body injury, continue to throw. … Just kind of taking it from there.”
But the hamstring injury is a new experience for the 31-year-old Imanaga, so the Japanese pitcher and the Cubs aren’t exactly sure what to expect when it comes to a timeline for his recovery.
Cubs left-hander Justin Steele strained his left hamstring on opening day last year on March 28. He returned to the team’s rotation on May 6, 2024.
“I mean it’s the same injury in terms of it’s a hamstring injury,” manager Craig Counsell said before Chicago’s 14-5 loss to San Francisco. “I think they’re two different individuals. The severity’s different, so we just got to take case by case. … We’re just going to progress day by day for a while.”
Imanaga said he reached out to Steele on Tuesday morning about his hamstring injury and recovery. Steele is out for the rest of this season with an elbow injury.
“It’s reassuring knowing that there’s somebody else that’s went through it, and if they have any advice about it that I can talk to them,” Imanaga said.
Imanaga got hurt when he went to cover first base on a potential double play in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 4-0 loss at Milwaukee. He is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts on the year.
He pitched five-plus innings in his previous outing at Pittsburgh before leaving because of leg cramps. But he said he was told by doctors there was no direct correlation between the injuries.
“For me, I try to prepare myself 100% for each start,” Imanaga said. “If you think about why the reason the injury was caused, there’s probably so many different factors going on. So for me it’s just good to take time and kind of reflect on what I need to work on, if it’s preparation before the game, and what kind of adjustments I need to make.”
Imanaga signed a $53 million, four-year contract with Chicago in January 2024. He went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts last year, making the NL All-Star team and finishing fourth in balloting for the NL Rookie of the Year.
The injury for Imanaga creates another opening in a depleted rotation for the NL Central leaders. Steele made his last start of the season on April 7, and Javier Assad is on the IL with an oblique issue.
Counsell said the Cubs hadn’t decided how they are going to handle Imanaga’s slot on Saturday at the New York Mets. Cade Horton, one of the team’s top prospects, and Chris Flexen are two potential options.