Might 5: Imanaga has been positioned on the 15-day IL with Gavin Hollowell recalled to take his place on the lively roster, per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Solar-Instances.
Might 4: Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga sustained what the crew described as a left hamstring pressure throughout at present’s begin in opposition to the Brewers. With one out within the sixth inning, Imanaga picked up the damage whereas protecting first base throughout a fielder’s selection from Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich. Imanaga was instantly favoring his hamstring even earlier than the play was accomplished, and was faraway from the sport after consulting with crew trainers.
Extra imaging and checks have to happen earlier than the Cubs resolve whether or not or not Imanaga will head to the 15-day injured checklist, 670 The Rating’s Bruce Levine writes. Chicago has an off-day this coming Thursday, so conceivably, the crew may skip Imanaga’s subsequent flip within the rotation to present him a while to recuperate with out placing him on the IL and dropping him for a minimum of 15 days.
That mentioned, the truth that the damage has already been described as as pressure actually makes it look like a 15-day IL stint is essentially the most possible end result. With Imanaga possible out of motion and Justin Steele already gone for the season as a result of UCL surgical procedure, Chicago is now down its prime two projected starters.
Signed to a four-year, $53MM contract throughout the 2023-24 offseason, Imanaga’s transfer from Nippon Skilled Baseball to the majors went very easily, as he delivered a 2.91 ERA over 173 1/3 innings in his first large league season. The lefty was off to a different good begin in his sophomore season, as counting at present’s outing, Imanaga has a 2.82 ERA in 44 2/3 innings. That high quality ERA does mark some troubling secondary numbers, nonetheless, as Imanaga’s 18.9% strikeout fee is nicely under common, and he has allowed numerous arduous contact.
These metrics however, Imanaga was nonetheless delivering good bottom-line outcomes, and serving to the Cubs rise to first place within the NL Central. Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd have additionally pitched nicely, Colin Rea has carried out nicely since being inserted into Steele’s rotation spot, and Ben Brown has been inconsistent however serviceable in protecting innings.
Assuming Imanaga will certainly go on the IL, Chris Flexen could be the likeliest substitute, as he was already working as a starter at Triple-A earlier than Chicago chosen his contract to the large league roster earlier this week. Flexen has to date made one look with the Cubs (a three-inning aid outing in Friday’s 10-0 win over Milwaukee), and could possibly be pretty simply stretched out once more for a beginning gig in Imanaga’s place.
If not Flexen, the Cubs may name Jordan Wicks up from Triple-A, or maybe give star prospect Cade Horton his first style of Main League motion. Javier Assad gained’t be an choice for maybe a number of months, as Assad not too long ago suffered a Grade 2 indirect pressure whereas pitching on a rehab task for an earlier indirect pressure suffered in Spring Coaching.
