👋 Good morning!

Conference Finals kick off in both the NBA and NHL tonight.

I’ve exhausted myself wishing we had teams in Chicago participating in playoff action, especially this deep into the postseason.

Alas, we’ll have to settle for watching Tom Thibodeau’s New York Knicks and (assistant coach) Jim Boylen’s Indiana Pacers duke it out in the East.

Sure, Thibs was far from perfect here, but he was even further from the biggest problem with the Bulls, as evidenced by the team’s three playoff wins since his firing in 2015.

Oops.

– Patrick Norton

Strained.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters in Miami on Monday that Shota Imanaga will begin throwing off the mound next week, but that a return to the rotation isn’t likely until “well into June.”

• Imanaga suffered a hamstring strain earlier this month, which was deemed “very mild” after imaging. The expectation was always that Imanaga would ease his way back and remain on the injured list beyond the 15-day requirement. But that timeline appears to be expanding based on Counsell’s “well into June” comment.
   

• After Monday’s loss, Counsell mentioned that the Cubs would be without de facto closer Porter Hodge for the foreseeable future, too. Hodge, 24, is dealing with an apparent oblique strain and will be added to the 15-day IL.
   

• It’s not all bad. Ian Happ, who hasn’t played since suffering an oblique strain against the Mets on May 9, is expected to be activated from the 10-day IL at some point either today or tomorrow.

Soft tissue, man.

Sure, the timing isn’t terrible for the Cubs. Better a week into the less-than-daunting May-June stretch on their schedule than during the gauntlet in April.

Still, it makes the next few weeks less of a breeze and somewhat of a grind without two of the top arms on the pitching staff.

Hodge had only recently taken the reins on the closer role after Ryan Pressly’s brutal 9-run outing against the Giants two weeks ago. Now, the Cubs will need to figure out how to attack their high-leverage opportunities for at least the next two weeks.

Maybe that entails a turn back to Pressly, who’s been solid in his last five outings, allowing zero runs and striking out four.

Daniel Palencia had a shot to be the guy last night and nearly pulled it off, entering the ninth inning with a one-run lead. Palencia, the 25-year-old fireballer, retired the first two batters he faced before allowing a single, walking the nine-hole hitter, and giving up a walk-off double. Bummer.

GO DEEPER: Cody Delmendo & Luke Stuckmeyer discussed options for interim closer in last night’s postgame podcast.

Quick Hits

BENCH BOSS: After striking out on David Carle and Mike Sullivan, it appears the Blackhawks’ search for their next head coach could be winding down.

Jay Zawaski wrote yesterday that we should probably get comfortable with Jeff Blashill as the likely hire. Blashill, 51, is currently an assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning and was previously the Detroit Red Wings’ head coach for seven seasons.

Blashill took the reins in Detroit as the Red Wings left the glory days in the past and entered a grueling rebuild, which helps explain his 204-261-72 record as a head coach.

Interestingly, the Blackhawks haven't hired a retread since promoting Joel Quenneville to head coach in 2008. However, Quenneville was a much more established head coach with an excellent track record before taking over in Chicago.

OT-YAYS! The Bears will be in the building (voluntarily) for a three-day run of OTAs beginning today. They’ll have another set next week before mandatory minicamp the following week. After minicamp, the Bears will hold another set of OTAs for rookies.

We’ll have a special CHGO Bears post-OTA show at 4 p.m. on Wednesday to accommodate for media availability at Halas Hall.

Special shoutout to new Diehard and longtime CHGO listener/commenter Alex Hopkins, who is beginning chemotherapy treatments. Stay strong, man! All of us at CHGO are behind you and thinking of you.

Moments before disaster…

Today!

📺 CHGO Bears
12:00 on YouTube

📺 CHGO Blackhawks
2:00 on YouTube

📺 CHGO Bulls
4:00 on YouTube

⚾️ White Sox vs. Mariners
6:40 on CHSN

⚾️ Cubs @ Marlins
5:40 on Marquee

📺 CHGO Cubs
POSTGAME on CHGO Cubs YT

Talk to you tomorrow!