MINNEAPOLIS — After evaluating reliever Porter Hodge’s rough outing Tuesday against the Twins, the Cubs put him on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with an impingement in his right shoulder.
‘‘After talking to Porter [and] digging into some of our stuff that we track, [we] just don’t think he’s 100% right,’’ manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘We don’t think it’s the right time for Porter to try to push through. And so we’re going to take a little break here and do some strengthening. And [we] don’t anticipate him to be down long and don’t really anticipate him to stop throwing.’’
In a corresponding move, the Cubs recalled reliever Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa.
Hodge was active for only two weeks between IL stints. He also spent five weeks on the IL for a strained left oblique and an impingement in his left hip.
Since returning, Hodge has been slow to regain velocity, although he allowed only one run in his first four outings back. On Tuesday, he yielded six runs and three home runs in one-third of an inning as the Cubs fell to the Twins 8-1.
‘‘Just wasn’t sharp, wasn’t my best,’’ Hodge said after the game. ‘‘So they got the better of me tonight.’’
Counsell didn’t have answers for whether the shoulder injury was connected to Hodge’s previous injuries this season — ‘‘That’s the great mystery about injuries’’ — or how much it contributed to his dip in velocity.
‘‘Another good question,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘That’s why we’re pressing stop. The goal is to now strengthen the shoulder and see if that brings those things back.’’
In five appearances back from his last IL stint, Hodge’s average fastball velocity ranged from 94.7 to 95.3 mph, compared with an average of 96.4 mph in May.
Hodge is expected to travel with the Cubs to New York, throw there and begin a ramp-up process.
