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.
Liverpool confirms Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp's replacement
Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeing
Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeing
FCC fines wireless carriers for sharing user locations without consent
Medics remove 150 MAGGOTS from a woman's mouth after dental procedure left her with rotting tissue
Long flu season winds down in US
North Carolina shootout that killed 4 law officers began as task force tried to serve a warrant
Brit living in California shares how expensive it really is to live there
Mystery artist who erected signs comparing pothole
New Jersey seeks fourth round of offshore wind farm proposals as foes push back
Ship that caused Baltimore bridge collapse has been refloated
Alicia Keys, Brian d’Arcy James, Daniel Radcliffe and more react to earning Tony Award nominations