While Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are Major League Baseball rookies, their previous experience in Nippon Professional Baseball helped them deliver lights-out pitching for their respective teams.
The Cubs won all six of Imanaga's starts. He led the league with an impressive 0.78 earned run average and earned a victory in five of six starts. In his last game against the New York Mets, Imanaga surrendered only three hits and one walk while striking out seven batters in seven innings.
Shota Imanaga lowers his Major League-leading ERA to 0.78 with another gem. pic.twitter.com/fL8oU1PYMq
— MLB (@MLB) May 2, 2024
It's his third MLB game without surrendering a run and fourth game with at least five strikeouts. Imanaga has given up only four walks in six starts and has a 0.75 WHIP.
Meanwhile, Yamamoto has shaken off his terrible MLB debut against the San Diego Padres. He has thrown at least five scoreless innings in four of his last six starts, including their May 1 game versus the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In six innings against the Diamondbacks, he gave up five hits and two walks while striking out five batters. That performance improved his ERA to 2.91 and his win-loss record to 3-1. Yamamoto has 42 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP in seven games.
Their performances have helped their teams stay in contention. Imanaga and the Cubs are a half-game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the National League Central. Meanwhile, Yamamoto and the Dodgers are 4.5 games in front of the Padres for the NL West lead.
Imanaga's next start will likely be on May 7 against the Padres. Meanwhile, Yamamoto's next start remains uncertain.
-Lance Fernandez