In the offseason, the Chicago Cubs signed Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga to a four-year, $53 million deal that could be a five-year, $80 million pact if a club option is picked up.
Several weeks prior to that, the Los Angeles Dodgers inked Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract.
While Yamamoto might be the better pitcher both now and later down the road, there isn’t a $272 million gap between them.
Not a chance.
Imanaga has been one of the best pitchers in the opening month of MLB, quite likely the best if we go to the sheer, cold numbers.
He is dominating and is reaching historic levels with his run-prevention prowess.
The league posted a graphic in which it shows Imanaga has the fourth-best ERA for a pitcher in his first six career starts, excluding openers.
Shota Imanaga is putting on a Sho 😤
(h/t @SlangsOnSports)
(MLB x @SageUSAmerica) pic.twitter.com/gg7JqBzTPU
— MLB (@MLB) May 2, 2024
That number is 0.78, across 34.2 innings.
Only Fernando Valenzuela (0.33), Dave Ferriss (0.50), and Bob Shawkey (0.75) had a lower ERA than Imanaga over their first six career starts.
The most impressive thing about Imanaga is not his velocity, although it’s not too shabby, or his strikeout ability, even though it currently stands at over a K per inning (35 for the season): it’s his control and command.
The left-hander doesn’t hurt himself with walks, as he has given away just four in 34.2 frames.
The Cubs have every reason to feel ecstatic about the investment they made in the offseason, as the southpaw has been a major reason why the team is currently contending.
As long as Imanaga remains healthy, his numbers will be something to behold.
