At this point, the Chicago Cubs may be left with little choice but to call up their top pitching prospect.
On Sunday, their ace Shota Imanaga exited the game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning due to what was later diagnosed as a left hamstring strain.
The injury occurred when Christian Yelich hit a grounder to first baseman Michael Busch, who fired to second for a force out. Imanaga hustled over to first to complete the double play but suddenly pulled up, clutching the back of his leg as Yelich reached safely.
“Obviously, it’s tough to see,” said Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker. “He’s been incredible for us this season, and you hate to lose a guy like that. We definitely want him to keep taking the mound.”
Manager Craig Counsell said Imanaga will undergo imaging to assess the extent of the injury and added that it’s too early to say whether the 31-year-old lefty will land on the injured list.
Shota Imanaga Leaves Sunday’s Start With Strained Hamstring
Sunday marked the second straight game in which Shota Imanaga was forced to exit in the sixth inning due to leg issues. In his previous outing against the Pirates, he left with cramping in both quadriceps.
Despite that, Imanaga said through an interpreter after Sunday’s game that the cramps hadn’t been a concern and that he followed his usual pregame routine leading up to the start in Milwaukee without any problems.
“This week, I physically felt really good,” Imanaga said. “Even before today’s game, I felt amazing—hydration and everything was on point. There were no warning signs in my leg beforehand, so I’m honestly shocked.”
Before straining his hamstring, Imanaga was turning in another solid performance, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four. However, Cubs bats were silenced, as Freddy Peralta and three Brewers relievers combined to shut out Chicago on five hits in a 4-0 loss.
Loss of Time for Shota Imanaga Could Open Up Spot For Cade Horton
Any time missed by Shota Imanaga—currently 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA—would be yet another setback for a Cubs pitching staff already hit hard by injuries. Chicago is without Justin Steele, who underwent season-ending elbow surgery, and recently moved Javier Assad to the 60-day injured list after he re-aggravated a strained left oblique during his second rehab outing on April 22. That move cleared a rotation spot for right-hander Chris Flexen, a seven-year MLB veteran who was recently promoted from Triple-A Iowa after signing a minor league deal.
If Imanaga lands on the injured list, the Cubs could turn to 23-year-old Cade Horton, their No. 2 prospect and the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft. Horton, who ended last season with Iowa, has continued his strong play this year, posting a 2-1 record and a 1.24 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 29 innings. He gave up just one run over six innings in his latest outing on Sunday. Through six starts, Horton has allowed only 12 hits, although he has issued 13 walks—an area of potential concern.
Despite Horton’s impressive numbers, manager Craig Counsell downplayed the likelihood of an imminent call-up: “We’re not even close to there yet,” he said.