CHICAGO -- Shota Imanaga sent a message to fellow Cubs lefty Justin Steele on Tuesday morning. Given that Steele also dealt with a left hamstring injury last season, Imanaga wanted to reach out as he begins his own rehab program and comeback.
Standing at his locker at Wrigley Field on Tuesday afternoon, Imanaga explained via his interpreter, Edwin Stanberry, that he planned on using Steele as a resource. Imanaga, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a left hamstring strain, is in uncharted waters personally, as he has not dealt with this type of setback in the past.
“If something does come up in the rehab process that I have questions about,” Imanaga said, “I can ask him about it. It’s reassuring knowing that there’s somebody else who went through it, and if they have any advice about it, I can talk to them about it.”
Cubs manager Craig Counsell cautioned against using Steele’s situation last season as a guide for how much time Imanaga might miss with his ailment. The manager noted that – while both involved a hamstring strain – each individual is different and the specifics of the injury are never identical.
Steele sustained his injury on Opening Day in Texas last year and missed about five weeks with his left hamstring strain. The Cubs are expecting Imanaga’s timeline to extend beyond the 15-day IL stint, but there is no firm projection as to how long the lefty might be out. Counsell noted that the injury is technically a Grade 1 strain for Imanaga.
“We’ve just got to take it case by case and really let Shota [guide the process],” Counsell said. “The tough part for Shota is not having experienced lower-body injuries. I think that’s going to make us a little cautious. We’re just going to progress day-by-day for a while.”
Imanaga said the feedback from the Cubs’ medical team was that there was no “direct correlation” between the hamstring setback in Sunday’s start in Milwaukee and the cramping he experienced in both quadriceps in the previous outing in Pittsburgh.
“I try to prepare myself 100 percent for each start,” said Imanaga, who has a 2.82 ERA in eight games this season. “There’s probably so many different factors going on [that lead to an injury]. For me, it’s 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’s spot in the rotation falls on Saturday, when the Cubs are facing the Mets on the road. Chicago’s decision-makers are weighing the team’s options.
Righty Chris Flexen could move from the bullpen to rotation, or the Cubs could go with a bullpen day for that game. Lefty Jordan Wicks is a depth piece on the 40-man roster and top prospect Cade Horton (No. 46 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100) has been named “an option” by Counsell and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.
While the Cubs continue to determine the best way to handle the unexpected rotation vacancy, Imanaga plans to keep on a regular throwing program. With it being a leg injury, the goal for Imanaga is to keep playing catch until the hamstring heals enough to allow him to begin advancing to higher intensity and mound work.
“I’m just kind of thinking positively,” Imanaga said. “Since I’ve never had a lower-body or hamstring injury, I’m unsure about [my timeline]. But kind of talking to everybody, it’s more of, take it day by day and once it feels good, I’ll let them know.”