It’s a pretty safe bet to assume that Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer will add pitching help ahead of the MLB trade deadline Monday.
A staff that has 13 arms on the injured list and is pushing for an October run will need reinforcements. And any pitching fortifications will look even more impressive if left-hander Shota Imanaga looks like he did in the 2-0 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday at Wrigley Field.
In the opener of a seven-game homestand, the 32-year-old Imanaga gave up a pair of solo home runs but pitched into the seventh inning and struck out six Yankees hitters, a sign of a pitcher who can stymie a lineup and shorten a game in the postseason.
“I thought (he) was excellent,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after the loss. “You get outs in the seventh inning, you’re having a good start. You give up two runs, and you get outs in the seventh inning, that’s a good start.”
Photos: New York Yankees 2, Chicago Cubs 0
The length of the outing wasn’t the only impressive aspect of Imanaga’s day. It was how he did it. He finished allowing two solo home runs, four hits and no walks in 6 2/3 innings.
Imanaga generated 19 whiffs against the Yankees, the third-most he has induced this season and most since the Reds swung and missed 22 times against him May 7. Three of his six strikeouts Friday came on his splitter, and 10 of his whiffs were generated by that pitch.
“The ability to throw the splitter competitively quite a bit and what he’s been able to do to lefties, that sinker, it’s been fun to watch,” left fielder Ian Happ said. “Not enough run support for him today, but he was fantastic.”
Imanaga’s lone blemishes — solo home runs to Amed Rosario in the fourth and Spencer Jones in the fifth — proved to be the difference Friday, but the Cubs lineup was stumped by Yankees right-hander Will Warren, who struck out seven over 6 2/3 innings. The Cubs, who entered Friday leading the majors in walks (473), failed to draw a free pass, just the third time that has happened this season.
“I think any time somebody can get 27 outs against us and we don’t have a walk, that means somebody’s doing a pretty good job, and they’ve got a lot of stuff working,” Counsell said. “He was able to throw offspeed whenever he wanted. His fastball was well located in big pitches, in decision counts. He pitched a good game.”
The Cubs figure to be aggressive before Monday’s deadline, but adding a pitcher atop the rotation to pair with Imanaga could provide a massive boost, especially if the left-hander continues the trend he has been on. He has a 3.67 ERA this season and has allowed just two earned runs in his three starts since the All-Star break (0.92 ERA).
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga delivers against the Yankees in the first inning Friday, July 31, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
“Not sure what’s going to happen, but looking forward to it,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “Our starters, we go into the bullpen before the game, watch each other, warm up, we’re in the dugout, and we stand next to each other. We talk about pitching, share ideas. Looking forward to if there is another starter added, getting to know him and also being in the dugout and share ideas about pitching.”
The Cubs added another pitcher to the injured list before the series opener. Right-hander Gavin Hollowell was placed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. The team recalled left-hander Antoine Kelly, a Chicago native and Maine East graduate, from Triple-A Iowa.
Hollowell threw a scoreless eighth inning in the Cubs’ 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Thursday’s series finale but was struggling to bounce back in his recovery after outings.
“So it’s a pretty clear sign we need to press pause for a little bit,” Counsell said before the game. “I don’t think we have a serious injury here. He needs some rest, and I think he should be fine. If not the minimum, I think we’re pretty close to it.”
Cubs reliever Antoine Kelly (62) is congratulated by catcher Miguel Amaya after striking out the last batter with two runners on base in the top of the eighth inning against the Yankees on Friday, July 31, 2026, at Wrigley Field. Kelly made his major-league debut in the Cubs’ 2-0 loss. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Kelly made his major-league debut, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out Yankees slugger Ben Rice to escape an eighth-inning jam with two runners on for his first career strikeout.
Friday’s roster move is likely to be the precursor to a busy next few days with new faces strolling into the home clubhouse at Wrigley Field. Monday’s deadline is the last day the Cubs can add meaningful external players to their roster. With the team holding the top NL wild-card spot and six games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, it’s the last chance to improve the roster from the outside.
Of course, internal additions may buoy the pitching staff too.
Closer Daniel Palencia is expected to face hitters Saturday at Wrigley Field and could go on a rehab assignment after that, meaning a return in a few weeks is possible. Justin Steele was back in Chicago, too, and is scheduled to throw off a mound Saturday.
Right-hander Edward Cabrera was scheduled to make a rehab outing with Iowa on Friday, and right-handers Hunter Harvey and Ben Brown could return to the Cubs bullpen before the season ends.
“It’s exciting,” Steele said before Friday’s game. “Ben and I have talked about it. We want to be able to come back at the end of the season and really make some impactful help in the bullpen or wherever the case may be. It’s an exciting group. We got an opportunity in front of us.”
Andy Martinez is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.