MESA, Arizona — This was the Shu014dta Imanaga advertised to Cubs fans when the team signed him to a four-year deal out of Japan’s NPB.
Lots of strikeouts, the occasional home run. In Thursday’s 3-1 Cubs win over the Athletics, there were many of the former and none of the latter. Imanaga was lifted with one out in the fifth to a nice ovation, having struck out nine of the 16 batters he faced, and allowing just three hits, all singles.
Or, to put it another way:
Shota Imanaga has struck out 19 of 41 batters faced this spring.