Shota Imanaga

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.

Shota Imanaga Dominates A's with 11 Ks in Cubs Victory

Shota Imanaga dazzled on Monday, allowing two earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out 11 over six innings in the Cubs' 9-2 win over the Athletics.

Fantasy Impact

This performance underscores Imanaga's role as a strikeout artist, now boasting a 9.2 K/9 rate for the season. His ability to maintain a low ERA (3.03) and WHIP (1.03) while posting a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.07) makes him a valuable asset in fantasy leagues. Despite a slightly elevated FIP (3.88), his consistency in limiting base hits (.264 BABIP) and accumulating wins (now 15-3) should keep him high on fantasy radars. Fantasy managers should continue to view Imanaga as a top-tier starting option, especially in leagues that reward strikeouts.