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.
Russian theater director and playwright go on trial over a play authorities say justifies terrorism
North Korea sends a delegation to Iran in a growing effort to break its diplomatic isolation
Arizona Democrats attempt to repeal the state’s 19th century abortion ban
Jennifer Garner reunites with 13 Going On 30 co
A Russian priest who held Navalny's memorial service is suspended by Moscow church
Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to lead Indianapolis 500 field in Corvette pace car
German retirees will get an inflation
The unstoppable duo of Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos
Livvy Dunne hints she may NOT return to LSU for a fifth year