MILWAUKEE — Chicago Cubs ace Shota Imanaga left Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in the sixth inning with an apparent injury, later diagnosed as a left hamstring strain. The injury occurred when Imanaga, 31, hustled to cover first base on a grounder by Christian Yelich. Attempting to complete a 3-6-1 double play, he arrived at first base in discomfort, grabbing the back of his left leg after Yelich beat the throw. Imanaga limped off the field after a visit from manager Craig Counsell and trainers.
Shota Imanaga Suffers Hamstring Injury vs. Brewers
The Cubs announced the strain postgame, and Imanaga was scheduled for an MRI on Monday to determine the severity. “We’ll know more after imaging, but it’s concerning,” Counsell said after the game. Imanaga, who left his prior start against the Pittsburgh Pirates with leg cramps, faces a probable stint on the injured list. No definitive return timeline exists at this time, but hamstring strains usually require anywhere from two to six weeks, pending MRI results.
Filling Out the Cubs Rotation
Imanaga’s 2.77 ERA and 3-2 record in his second major league season anchor a rotation already missing its co-ace Justin Steele, who is out for the season following elbow surgery. Chris Flexen, recently called up from Triple-A, has an opportunity to take Imanaga’s spot, serving as either a starter or long reliever. The No. 48 prospect in MLB’s Top 100, Cade Horton, is also pushing to get the call to the majors. So far in Triple-A, Horton has posted a 1.17 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 23 innings. Imanaga, a 2024 All-Star, threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings before exiting, but the Brewers rallied against reliever Julian Merryweather in a four-run sixth inning. They held on for the shutout win.
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