Let’s be honest — when it comes to soft-tissue injuries and optimistic timelines, I’ve learned not to get too excited too soon. Especially with oblique strains or hamstring issues, things can go sideways in a hurry. I’ve seen enough baseball over the years to know that early projections often don’t hold up.
So when Craig Counsell came out and said there was a chance Porter Hodge could miss just the minimum time on the Injured List, I didn’t exactly start planning a parade.
Early Signs Pointing Toward a Softer Oblique Issue
Hodge was placed on the IL on May 20 (retroactive to the 18th), but here’s what caught my attention: he was already throwing on flat ground the very next day. That doesn’t sound like a full shutdown situation.
In fact, Counsell confirmed as much:
Not a complete shutdown,” he said. “We’re going to keep his arm moving, just with a lower intensity, and hopefully by the weekend we can ramp this back up.
That kind of language is encouraging. It suggests the issue isn’t structural or severe. And according to the skipper, Hodge could potentially return as early as Tuesday, June 3 , which lines up with the minimum IL stay.
Hip Tightness Might Explain Some Recent Struggles
There’s more to unpack here than just the oblique. Tommy Hottovy mentioned that Hodge also had some tightness in his hip, which might have been affecting his fastball command.
That actually makes sense. If you watched Hodge pitch recently, he wasn’t quite as sharp as last year. Not bad, mind you — just not dominant. So stepping away now gives him a chance to reset physically and mechanically.
As Hottovy put it:
“Being able to spend some time to focus on [fastball command] while we’re ramping him back up is going to be a really positive thing.”
It feels less like an emergency move and more like a strategic pause.
Is Porter Hodge Playing Next Season? Here’s What We Know
Based on everything we’ve heard so far, there’s no reason to believe Hodge won’t be ready for the rest of this season — let alone next year. The injury sounds like it was minor, and the Cubs seem to be treating it more like a maintenance stop rather than a red flag.
Even if he misses a few weeks now, that could help him come back sharper and fresher down the stretch. And with the bullpen getting stretched thin before the move, it made perfect sense to hit the reset button.
So yes — unless something changes dramatically , Porter Hodge should definitely be on the mound in 2025.
What This Means for the Cubs Bullpen
In the short term, the team will lean on other arms like Daniel Palencia to handle late-inning situations. But once Hodge returns, expect him to slide right back into that high-leverage role.
The timing of this IL stint may end up being a blessing in disguise — both for his health and his performance.
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