Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Shota Imanaga arrived at MLB and upstaged his fellow countryman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, mostly by staying healthy. Imanaga started 29 games for the Cubs, pitching 173 1/3 innings and racking up 174 strikeouts while maintaining a 2.91 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. He also kicked in a 15-3 record to boost his fantasy impact. His 25.1% strikeout rate and microscopic 4.0% walk rate furthered his case as Chicago's ace. The biggest red flag for Imanaga this season is that his 2.91 ERA was a mirage, thanks to an unsustainable 80.2% LOB percentage. His xERA was 3.46, and that should be closer to the expectation going forward. Imanaga is a high-end SP2 on draft day.

Justin Steele's 2024 season was marked by both impressive performances and injury setbacks. He posted a 5-5 record with a 3.07 ERA over 24 starts, striking out 135 batters in 134.2 innings, and maintaining a WHIP of 1.10. His advanced metrics were equally strong, with an average exit velocity of 86.9 mph and a hard-hit rate of 33.2%, both improvements from the previous season. Notably, Steele's strikeout rate increased to 33.3%, a significant uptick from his 24.6% rate in 2023, while his walk rate remained stable at 5.6%. ​However, injuries impacted Steele's availability. He began the season on the injured list due to a left hamstring strain and later dealt with left elbow tendinitis, limiting his innings. If he can maintain his health, Steele has the tools to build on his success and provide valuable innings for Chicago and fantasy teams.