CHICAGO -- The Cubs will decide on the next step for Shota Imanaga after he makes a rehab start for Triple-A Iowa on Friday.
Imanaga is coming back from a left hamstring strain. The left-hander is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts for the Cubs this season.
The 31-year-old Imanaga got hurt during the sixth inning of a 4-0 loss at Milwaukee on May 4.
"We just want to evaluate Friday's start and go from there," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday.
Imanaga pitched six scoreless innings over two rehab starts in the Arizona Complex League. He had a bullpen session in Arizona on Tuesday before joining Iowa.
The return of Imanaga could provide a big lift for the Cubs, who increased their NL Central lead to 6 1/2 games when they beat Milwaukee 5-3 on Tuesday night. Wednesday's game against the Brewers was postponed because of rain.
Imanaga signed a $53 million, four-year contract with Chicago in January 2024. He went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts last year, making the NL All-Star team and finishing fourth in balloting for the NL Rookie of the Year.
Cubs reliever Porter Hodge also is progressing at Iowa. He is coming back from a left oblique strain.
The 24-year-old right-hander threw a scoreless inning on Tuesday.
"He'll have at least one more appearance in Iowa," Counsell said.
The 24-year-old Hodge is 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA and two saves in 21 games this season. He went 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA and nine saves in 39 games in 2024.
