Shota Imanaga might be a postseason rookie, but the Cubs aren’t worried about their lefty handling October pressure.
The 32-year-old brings plenty of big-game experience to Chicago’s playoff push. He started for Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship game, helping secure a 2-1 win over Team USA. That’s on top of over 1,000 innings in Nippon Professional Baseball and his stellar 24-10 record with a 3.04 ERA across 51 Major League starts.
With the Cubs holding the top National League Wild Card spot, manager Craig Counsell has complete faith in his All-Star starter come October, according to a new piece by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic.
Cubs Manager Praises Imanaga’s Consistency
“Shota has spoiled us from Day 1 in terms of how good he’s been,” Counsell told Mooney. “He passed every test now. I remember last year: ‘Oh, this is the second time he’s going to face a team. Is he going to be good?’ Those were some of the questions being asked.”
“But he’s gone through the league multiple times. He’s faced the same hitters multiple times. He’s (done) the game planning. He’s shown that he’s just good.”
Imanaga signed with Chicago as a free agent before the 2024 season and quickly became one of baseball’s most reliable starters. He’s earned an All-Star selection and threw a combined no-hitter this year.
What makes Imanaga so effective isn’t velocity—it’s precision. He works primarily with a four-seam fastball and split-finger, but his command sets him apart. The lefty ranks in the top 4% of MLB in walk rate at just 4.6% while posting a 31.0% chase rate, according to Baseball Savant.
Game Planning Hasn’t Slowed Him Down
Teams have tried to solve Imanaga, but his execution keeps them guessing.
“There have been games where teams have a plan against him,” Counsell explained. “I don’t think that’s helped, necessarily, but it makes sense. There have been some teams that have tried to attack the high fastball. There have been teams that have tried to be super patient with the split-finger.”
The Cubs manager sees why those approaches haven’t worked.
“But he executes at such a high level, and there’s enough difference in those pitches, and he’s crafty enough to mix in some other looks, that he can still win and sniff out or sense what the other team is trying to do and be successful.”
That adaptability gives Chicago confidence heading into October. Imanaga’s proven he can handle pressure on baseball’s biggest stages, and his track record suggests teams won’t crack the code in a short playoff series.
