Cubs’ Shota Imanaga Faces Uncertain Future After Sudden Hamstring Injury Shakes Team Dynamics
The Chicago Cubs just got hit with some tough news that’s bound to ripple through Wrigley Field and beyond. Shota Imanaga — yeah, the steady arm who’s been holding things down on the mound — is sidelined for an indefinite stretch. It’s a gut punch for a pitching staff counting on his consistency. The team didn’t waste any time, placing him on the 15-day injured list on Monday, a day after he limped off mid-game against the Milwaukee Brewers with a nasty hamstring tweak. Naturally, the Cubs scrambled to fill the void, bringing reliever Gavin Hollowell up from the minors to patch the hole.
What makes this particularly frustrating is seeing Imanaga’s hustle sting him just when things seemed to be clicking — especially since this marks his second early exit in a row. In Sunday’s game, after a ground ball set off a chain of events, Imanaga pulled up sharply chasing first base, clutching that left hammy in real pain. He never made the double play, and the Brewers didn’t let up, turning the inning into a costly rally. Add to that, his earlier exit last Tuesday due to quad cramps—he must be fed up and in disbelief himself. He told The Athletic he felt great before the game and was shocked by what happened.
If you dig into his season stats, it’s clear why this hurts: 3-2 in eight starts, sitting on a 2.82 ERA over nearly 45 innings pitched. At 31, Imanaga’s becoming a backbone in his sophomore Cubs year. If he avoids major setbacks, the hope is he’ll be back to face the Cincinnati Reds at the end of May — fingers crossed. Meanwhile, despite this hiccup, the team is still rolling with a solid 21-14 record and clinging to the top of the NL Central. But man, losing a pitcher like Imanaga, even temporarily, is a bitter pill to swallow for any contender.
The Chicago Cubs will be without pitcher Shota Imanaga for the foreseeable future.
The Cubs sent Imanaga to the 15-day injured list on Monday, just one day after he left their 4-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers early with a hamstring injury. As a result, the Cubs recalled reliever Gavin Hollowell from the Iowa Cubs.
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Imanaga bolted to cover first after Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich hit a ground ball to first in the sixth inning of Sunday’s contest at American Family Field in Wisconsin. Imanaga suddenly pulled up about halfway to the bag, however, and reached back to grab at his left hamstring, clearly in a lot of pain. The Cubs failed to complete the double play, too, as Yelich just barely beat the throw.
The Cubs quickly pulled Imanaga off the mound after that, ending his day. Julian Merryweather came in to replace him, and quickly gave up four runs. The Brewers then rode that the rest of the way to grab the win.
It marked the second straight start in which Imanaga left early. He left Tuesday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth inning, too, due to cramping in both quads.
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“This week my body, physically, has felt really good,” Imanaga said, via The Athletic. “Even before the game, I felt amazing. Hydration, everything felt great. So there was no sign in the back of my leg before the game or anything like that, so I’m in shock [that this happened].”
Imanaga has a 3-2 record in eight starts this season, his second with the Cubs. The 31-year-old holds a 2.82 ERA through 44 2/3 innings. Assuming there isn’t a setback in his recovery, Imanaga can return for the start of a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds on May 30.
Sunday’s loss was just the second the Cubs have dropped in their last six games. They hold a 21-14 record heading into Monday night’s matchup with the San Francisco Giants, which has them leading the NL Central.
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