Lefty Shota Imanaga will rejoin the Cubs next week in St. Louis

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CHICAGO (AP) — Left-hander Shota Imanaga will rejoin the Chicago Cubs early next week in St. Louis following a sharp Triple-A rehab start on Friday, manager Craig Counsell said Saturday.

Counsell wasn’t sure when Imanaga would be slotted into Chicago’s rotation but said before the Cubs’ game against the Seattle Mariners that the 31-year-old “is gonna make his next start in the big leagues.”

Imanaga, who was 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA as a rookie last season, is coming back from a left hamstring strain. He got hurt covering first base during the sixth inning of a 4-0 loss at Milwaukee on May 4.

Imanaga is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts for the Cubs this season. His return is expected to provide a lift to the NL Central leaders, who entered Saturday 4 1/2 games in front of Milwaukee and St. Louis.

Imanaga tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings of two-hit ball for Triple-A Iowa at Nashville on Friday night. He struck out eight and walked two.

“Everything went great,” Counsell said. “Did what we hoped he would do. He’s in a position to be ready. So he’s going to join us in St. Louis and we’ll figure out the next steps.”

Before the transition to Iowa, Imanaga pitched six scoreless innings over two rehab starts in the Arizona Complex League. He had a bullpen session in Arizona last Tuesday.

Imanaga signed a $53 million, four-year contract with Chicago in January 2024. He often dazzled in 29 starts last season, making the NL All-Star team and finishing fourth in balloting for the NL Rookie of the Year.

Also Saturday, the Cubs recalled right-hander Nate Pearson from Iowa and designated lefty Génesis Cabrera for assignment.

Pearson is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 19 appearances since he was optioned to Iowa on April 15.

Cabrera had an 8.68 ERA in nine games with the Cubs. He signed with Chicago on May 29 after being designated for assignment by the Mets.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb