Japanese pitcher Shota Imamura of the Chicago Cubs has been placed on the injured list.
The Cubs placed Imamura on the 15-day injured list before their game against the San Francisco Giants on the 6th (Korea time). The Cubs called up right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa to add a pitcher to the bullpen due to Imamura's injury.
Imamura started as the pitcher in the game against the Milwaukee Brewers on the 5th and pitched without allowing a run through five innings. In the 6th inning, with the score tied at 0-0 and one out with runners on first and second, Imamura, running to back up first base on a ground ball hit by Christian Yelich, suddenly grabbed the back of his left thigh in pain.
Afterward, a trainer assessed Imamura's condition, and Imamura was replaced while showing discomfort in his left leg. Removed with two outs and runners on first and third, Imamura allowed two runs in 5⅔ innings.
Craig Counsell, the Cubs manager, noted in an interview with local reporters after the game, "Imamura has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, and further tests will be conducted."
This season, Imamura has made eight starts (44⅔ innings), recording three wins, two losses, an earned run average of 2.82, 34 Samjin, and 14 walks. Imamura has struggled against Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, with a career batting line of 1 for 10 and three Samjin.
Imamura signed a four-year guaranteed contract worth $53 million (about 73.2 billion won) with the Cubs through the posting system ahead of the 2024 season.
Last year, Imamura recorded 15 wins, three losses, an earned run average of 2.91, 174 Samjin, and 28 walks in 29 games (173⅓ innings), and he was selected for the National League All-Star team. He ranked 4th in the National League Rookie of the Year voting and 5th in the Cy Young Award voting.
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