'Constantly learning' Imanaga off to impressive start with the Chicago Cubs
CHICAGO (AP) — The road for Shota Imanaga from Japan to the major leagues included at least one sharp observation that has served him well in his transition to life with the Chicago Cubs.
“Watching foreign players in Japan and how they try to figure out how to get support from the fans, essentially I’m just doing the opposite of that, coming over here,” Imanaga said through a translator. “It was something I thought about.”
From his entertaining pitching style to his trips to Dunkin’ Donuts — “Either I order a small iced latte or a medium,” he said — Imanaga has moved with a purpose in his acclimation to the big leagues. And he is making it look easy at the moment.
Relying on a deceptive four-seam fastball that he usually locates at the top of the strike zone, along with a splitter that plays at the bottom, Imanaga is 5-0 with a 0.84 ERA for the contending Cubs. The left-hander also has 58 strikeouts and nine walks in 53 2/3 innings — thrusting himself into the early conversation for NL Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award.
Related articles
Why US Catholics are planning pilgrimages in communities across the nation
A long-planned series of Catholic pilgrimages has begun across the United States this weekend, with2024-05-21Jimenez homers to back Crochet as White Sox beat Cardinals 5
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eloy Jimenez homered and Garrett Crochet tossed six effective innings to help the C2024-05-21- Photos have revealed the state of Prince Andrew's 30-room mansion which has fallen into disrepair am2024-05-21
Fight to own Britain's biggest mega
When Britain's biggest private house, a mega-mansion called Witanhurst on Highgate Hill in north Lon2024-05-21Uber and Lyft say they'll stay in Minnesota after Legislature passes driver pay compromise
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Uber and Lyft plan to keep operating in Minnesota after the state Legislature2024-05-21Russia launches drones as Ukraine marks third Easter at war
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — As Ukraine marked its third Easter at war, Russia on Sunday launched a barrage2024-05-21
atest comment