CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs are going to be cautious with Shota Imanaga while the left-hander recovers from his first hamstring injury.
Imanaga was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a mild left hamstring strain. He is planning to keep his arm loose by playing catch while he gives his leg time to recover.
“Talking to the doctor he even mentioned that it was good that it wasn't like a shoulder or an elbow injury,” Imanaga said Tuesday through a translator. “So just kind of thinking positively there. With it being a lower-body injury, continue to throw. ... Just kind of taking it from there.”
But the hamstring injury is a new experience for the 31-year-old Imanaga, so the Japanese pitcher and the Cubs aren't exactly sure what to expect when it comes to a timeline for his recovery.
Cubs left-hander Justin Steele strained his left hamstring on opening day last year on March 28. He returned to the team's rotation on May 6, 2024.
“I mean it's the same injury in terms of it's a hamstring injury,” manager Craig Counsell said before Chicago's 14-5 loss to San Francisco. “I think they're two different individuals. The severity's different, so we just got to take case by case. ... We're just going to progress day by day for a while.”
Imanaga said he reached out to Steele on Tuesday morning about his hamstring injury and recovery. Steele is out for the rest of this season with an elbow injury.
“It's reassuring knowing that there's somebody else that's went through it, and if they have any advice about it that I can talk to them,” Imanaga said.
Imanaga got hurt when he went to cover first base on a potential double play in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 4-0 loss at Milwaukee. He is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts on the year.
He pitched five-plus innings in his previous outing at Pittsburgh before leaving because of leg cramps. But he said he was told by doctors there was no direct correlation between the injuries.
“For me, I try to prepare myself 100% for each start,” Imanaga said. “If you think about why the reason the injury was caused, there's probably so many different factors going on. So for me it's just 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 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.
The injury for Imanaga creates another opening in a depleted rotation for the NL Central leaders. Steele made his last start of the season on April 7, and Javier Assad is on the IL with an oblique issue.
Counsell said the Cubs hadn't decided how they are going to handle Imanaga's slot on Saturday at the New York Mets. Cade Horton, one of the team's top prospects, and Chris Flexen are two potential options.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga prepares to pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Four years after showing up late for the Beijing Olympics and missing one of his races because of a case of COVID-19, U.S. long track speedskater Casey Dawson is enjoying what he jokingly terms his “villain arc,” peaking at the right time ahead of the Milan Cortina Games.
Dawson secured a spot for next month in the men's 5,000 meters — an event he was forced to skip in 2022 while sick — by winning at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.
“I actually got COVID two or three weeks before going to the competition. Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Couldn’t go over to the Games. I missed the opening ceremonies. Missed the 5,000 meters. Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters. So I kind of got a little screwed over from that point of view. But this time around, I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption.”
And then, with a chuckle, Dawson added: “It’s kind of fun to have, like, my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun.”
Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back Friday, finishing next in 6:19.335.
The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.
Dawson already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — a race not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.
Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event in Beijing four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.
In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.
“It's hard to wait,” said Myers, a 21-year-old from Lino Lakes, Minnesota. “But I'm very hopeful. I think it's at least a 50-50 chance that it'll happen.”
The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.
The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.
He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.
At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.
He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.
The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Casey Dawson, of Park City, Utah, right, and Ethan Cepuran, of Glen Ellyn, lllinois, left, compete in the men's 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)
The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)
