CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago 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.

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