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. |
Glamorous Rosamund Pike sports a grungy ensemble and heavy winged eyeliner alongside Anya TaylorIMF: Outlook for world economy is brighter, though still modest by historical standardsVan Thinh Phat case tests investor confidence in Vietnam — Radio Free AsiaJamie Oliver's Air Fryer Meals: Chef fails to impress in new Channel 4 seriesNorth Korea is buying Chinese surveillance cameras in a push to tighten control, report saysXi's article on cultural heritage, fine traditional Chinese culture to be publishedChinese FM meets with Vietnamese counterpartChina will not allow Philippines to act willfully on South China Sea issue: Military spokespersonThe US ambassador to Japan says boosting arms industry ties is key to a stronger security allianceChina launches publication and education campaign to commemorate martyrs