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Shota Imanaga pitches against his Cubs teammates, taking step in his transition to MLB

John Antonoff / For the Sun-Times

Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitches against Seiya Suzuki during live batting practice at Cubs Spring Training in Mesa, AZ. 02-21-2024.

MESA, Ariz. – Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga told teammate Seiya Suzuki that he’d only throw him fastballs in live batting practice Wednesday.

“But once he gets out there, he looks bigger,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “And I don’t want to lose him. So I lied to him; I threw breaking balls too.”

The live batting practice session was Imanaga’s first as a Cub.