Imanaga Nears Return as Cubs Eye Pitching Help

Chicago Cubs ace Shota Imanaga, who earned All-Star honors last season and has posted a 2.82 ERA in eight 2025 starts, is progressing in his recovery from a hamstring strain. He recently threw four scoreless innings with four strikeouts in his second Arizona Complex League rehab outing and is expected to make at least one more rehab start with Triple-A Iowa before rejoining the rotation. Despite losing both Imanaga and fellow All-Star Justin Steele for the season, the Cubs have maintained a 42-28 record atop the NL Central, largely thanks to strong performances from Matthew Boyd and MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong. The team's offense and breakout stars have fueled their success, but the rotation remains a concern. Manager Craig Counsell and team insiders highlight Imanaga’s return as critical but stress the need for further pitching reinforcements at the trade deadline. The Cubs' resilience has exceeded expectations, though their postseason and World Series hopes may depend on Imanaga’s health and roster upgrades.