CHICAGO — The Cubs might be without reliever Porter Hodge for longer than they initially thought.

Hodge hit the 15-day IL on May 20 (retroactive to May 18) with a left oblique strain after being absent from Game 1 of the Cubs’ road series against the Miami Marlins. Then, ahead of the Cubs’ ensuing series against the Reds in Cincinnati, manager Craig Counsell said Hodge was “in a good spot” and hadn’t shut down any activity yet.

However, Counsell said Monday that the 24-year-old reliever was “not making progress.”

“(We’re) trying to figure out why,” Counsell said of Hodge’s setback. “In the next couple of days, we need to make progress. Itherwise, the minimum stint is not going to be reasonable.”

Hodge has a 5.12 ERA over 19.1 innings of relief this season. He’s been one of Counsell’s go-to high-leverage pitchers this season, collecting two saves and striking out 19.

Hodge’s oblique injury came right as the Cubs welcomed Ian Happ back from the same ailment, and right before catcher Miguel Amaya suffered an oblique strain of his own in Cincinnati.

Amaya hit the 10-day IL Sunday, after he sustained the injury in the previous day’s game while throwing to second base. Counsell said he’d have more news on the catcher after his imaging Tuesday.

Counsell had a much more positive update on Shota Imanaga, with the Japanese left-hander scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday. Imanaga hasn’t started a game for the Cubs since May 4.

Counsell’s final update was on Javier Assad, who has yet to pitch in the majors in 2025 because of an oblique strain that originally landed him on the 15-day IL on March 17. An aggravation of his injury during his second rehab start for Triple-A Iowa on April 25 ended up landing him on the 60-day IL on April 30 to clear a 40-man roster spot.

However, Assad is making progress, per Counsell, as he played catch Monday for the first time since his setback.