“Cy Young winner” “This guy is wild” - MLB fans react as Shota Imanaga continues pitching dominance with another scoreless performance
Shota Imanaga is undoubtedly one of the best acquisitions for the Chicago Cubs. The talented pitcher has already exceeded his expectations and seems impossible to stop. Imanaga's pitching dominance continues as he led the Cubs to another victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Imanaga is a recognized Japanese pitcher who came to the MLB this season. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto stole the spotlight with the Dodgers, not many were aware of Imanaga, until his performance started to speak for itself.
It's not the first time Imanaga has restricted his opponents from scoring. The southpaw restricted the Pirates from scoring in seven innings. Reacting to his performance, fans took to social media to praise the rising star.
Here's a look at some of the fan reactions.
"Cy young winner," wrote one fan on X.
"This guy is wild," added another fan.
"Everyone thought this guy was gonna be meh and end up a reliever. You really can't predict baseball," one fan wrote.
Comments continued to pour in as some even compared him to Yamamoto from the Dodgers.
"Better than that 300 million dollar merchant in Los Angeles," wrote one fan.
"Better than Yamamoto," another fan chipped in.
"Absolutely brilliant. That low walk count is what really wins me over," one fan wrote.
Shota Imanaga holds the lowest ERA in the majors
Shota Imanaga took things further as he dropped his ERA to an exceptional 0.84. Imanaga is the only pitcher in the MLB to have an ERA below 1.00 this season. He is followed by Ranger Suarez, who has a 1.37 ERA.
He is yet to suffer a loss as he holds a 5-0 record. In 53.2 innings pitched, Imanaga struck out 58 hitters. He holds a spectacular WHIP of 0.91 and has surrendered three home runs in his major league career.
In nine starts, he surrendered seven runs and 40 hits. The Cubs have been fortunate to have the talented pitcher on their side. Imanaga has helped them win in crucial games. The Cubs are now 26-22 and second in the NL Central.
With Shota Imanaga's consistency and dominating performance, Imanaga has a huge chance to compete for the Cy Young Award this season. However, he will need to stay healthy throughout the season.