Cubs lose Kimbrel, Contreras to injury

The Chicago Cubs placed closer Craig Kimbrel on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation, and All-Star catcher Willson Contreras will miss the next four weeks with a right hamstring strain.

The injuries are a pair of significant blows for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who are trying to hold off St. Louis and Milwaukee to win the division for the third time in four years.

Kimbrel said his knee started bothering him while he was closing out Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Brewers. The IL stint is retroactive to Sunday, and Kimbrel said he thinks he will be ready when he is eligible to return.

Contreras also got hurt Saturday. He had an MRI on Monday that showed a Grade 2 strain. He experienced a similar injury in 2017.

The Cubs recalled right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. before their series opener against Oakland.

METS’ CANO ON IL >> New York Mets second baseman Robinson Canó is back on the injured list. Canó was placed on the IL a day after he strained his left hamstring in a game at Pittsburgh. In his first season with the Mets after being acquired from Seattle, the 36-year-old was limited to one game between May 22 and June 16 because of a strained left quadriceps. He is hitting .252 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs. ALSO >> Yonny Chirinos has become the third Tampa Bay starting pitcher on the injured list. The right-hander was placed on the 10-day IL with right middle finger inflammation and is expected to miss at least a month . ... Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez was scratched from Monday’s lineup due to back tightness . ... Zack Greinke (10-4) makes his Houston debut tonight against Colorado, joining an Astros rotation that is on quite a roll. The starters for the AL West leaders are 14-1 in their last 17 games.