The Chicago Cubs continue to lead the National League Central with a 35-21 record. Chicago will carry the 35-21 record into Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs are hoping to receive a pivotal boost soon as well with the return of Shota Imanaga from injury. Cubs manager Craig Counsell recently revealed that Imanaga threw a 28-pitch bullpen session in addition to participating in fielding practice and running, ESPN reports.

Imanaga's injury timeline remains fairly uncertain. The 2024 All-Star is dealing with a hamstring concern. Counsell's update suggests that the left-handed pitcher's injury status is trending in a promising direction, however.

“So all in all, a very good workday. Kind of repeat that this weekend, assuming everything turns up well tomorrow, and then go from there,” Counsell said of Imanaga's recent rehab step, via ESPN.

The Cubs hold a three-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central as of this story's writing. Chicago looks like the favorite in the division without question. The fact that Imanaga has been injured and the Cubs have continued to play well speaks volumes about the team's overall depth.

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Shota Imanaga's return will certainly help the ball club take another step forward. The 31-year-old owns a strong 2.82 ERA across eight starts in 2025. He has also recorded 34 strikeouts in his 44.2 innings of work. Imanaga's emergence as one of the best pitchers in baseball has given the Cubs' rotation a boost to say the least.

Chicago is hopeful to have Imanaga back from injury as soon as possible. As mentioned, though, a timeline has yet to become official. The Cubs will closely monitor the situation and provide updates as they are made available.

For now, the Cubs will host the Reds at 2:20 PM EST at Wrigley Field on Friday in the first of a three-game series.