Shota Imanaga Keeps Putting Tough End To ‘25 Behind Him

In the second half of 2025, Chicago Cubs fans didn’t get the same Shota Imanaga they grew accustomed to seeing in his first year and a half with the team.

A hamstring injury forced him out for nearly two months between May and June. Imanaga came back strong and posted a 2.40 ERA through July 19, but his final 12 outings went differently. His ERA was 5.17 during that stretch, and he gave up 20 home runs in just 69.2 innings.

In the decisive Game 5 of the National League Divison Series against the Milwaukee Brewers (ultimately a loss), Imanaga didn’t even pitch. That was a tough close to his sophomore season, especially considering his 2024 ended with him finishing top five in both National League Cy Young and Rookie of the Year voting.

Did the way last season end make people forget how good he was as a rookie?

”I don’t have an answer to that,” manager Craig Counsell said Saturday afternoon. “I think, fortunately, the right people didn’t forget.”

If anyone did forget, by now, Imanaga has to have helped them remember.

Bouncing Back in a Big Way

The 32-year-old was masterful in the Cubs’ 2-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. He pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and a walk while striking out five. Only twice did Arizona get a runner in scoring position, and neither reached third base.

He entered the day in the 98th percentile in chase rate (40.1%), and he recorded a 37% chase rate Saturday.

Imanaga’s big day brought his ERA down to 2.40 through seven starts, which ranked 12th among qualified pitchers entering Sunday. His 0.85 WHIP moved all the way up to fourth in the majors and second in the NL.

“I thought he pitched really wonderfully,” Counsell said. “He pitched really, really well, and he’s pitching at a really high level and he’s executing at a really high level.”

So far this year, Imanaga has looked a lot less like the 2025 second-half version of himself and more like he did as a rookie. He’s walked more than one batter in a game only twice. He has four quality starts, and he’s allowed one run or fewer in five of seven starts.

There have been a couple of bumpier outings, but overall, he’s been Chicago’s top starter thus far.

“I think this is who Shota is,” Ian Happ said. “I think the second half of last season was more of coming off injury and some other things than the actual version of Shota. We saw this guy in ’24 and how good he can be.”

“He’s been so good for us this year,” Dansby Swanson said. “I think he’s gotten his confidence back. He’s gotten the health back and everything like that. Last year with the hamstring, I felt like that kind of hindered him in the second half of the year. But he’s been so good for us and, obviously, a mainstay in our rotation.”

There certainly does seem to be a renewed confidence in him when he’s been on the mound. Whether or not that was still there during his second half last season, what matters is he has it now.

That’s especially important considering what the rotation has gone through in the first month-plus of the year.

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Cade Horton is done for the year after elbow surgery. Matthew Boyd had an early stint on the injured list. Justin Steele, recovering from elbow surgery of his own, just had a setback that’ll push his return further down the road. Even Jordan Wicks has been on the IL since the season started.

The Cubs have already had to dig deep into their starting pitching depth. Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon, Colin Rea and Javier Assad have helped keep the rotation afloat. The group currently owns the No. 12 ERA in MLB (3.94), so the injuries haven’t sunk the ship.

But Imanaga has been the standout of the group. That’s a good thing for Chicago, considering there was a chance he wasn’t even in the rotation this season.

Over the winter, the Cubs declined their three-year option, which trigger a one-year player option. Imanaga turned that down, and he became a free agent.

The club did extend a $22.025 million qualifying offer, which Imanaga ultimately accepted. Had he not, perhaps they could’ve used that money to go grab a starter off the free-agent market. Still, there’s no guarantee Chicago gets this kind of production from whichever arm that could’ve been.

Regardless, Imanaga returned on a one-year deal, and he’s back to pitching at the high level he did two seasons ago.

Again, that’s been especially important given the injuries in the rotation. Has he felt any pressure to step in some of his teammates’ absences?

“I don’t really feel the added pressure,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “I think, for me, I’m wishing that the guys who are injured, whether they’re in the rotation or in the bullpen, can come back as soon as they can, even if it’s a day earlier. But I think, with that, the manager, the pitching coaches have expectations for us, and I think all I’m really trying to do is meet those expectations.”

Imanaga said he hasn’t felt any pressure to prove himself following his disappointing second half from last season, either. He’s just been focused on continuing to improve and continuing to help the Cubs win.

And he’s done that. He’s been the best starter on the team currently holding sole possession of first place in the NL Central. Moving forward, the focus remains working to be the best version of himself whenever he takes the mound.

“I think looking at myself, I don’t feel like I’m a final product yet,” Imanaga said. “I think, each year, there’s room to evolve and become a better pitcher. Looking back at my 11-year professional career to up ’til now, I think very different. I think, every year, trying to get better, and the next game is the most important game.”

All stats and rankings were taken prior to play on May 3.