Cubs starter Shota Imanaga dazzles in MLB debut with 9 strikeouts in 6 shutout innings vs. Rockies

This is how to make a first impression.

Shota Imanaga was sensational in his MLB debut on Monday for the Chicago Cubs. The 30-year-old rookie struck out nine Colorado Rockies batters and walked none in six innings of shutout work in a 5-0 Cubs win at Wrigley Field.

Imanaga started his MLB career by inducing a flyout from outfielder Charlie Blackmon. He then got a swinging third strike from second baseman Brendan Rodgers on a splitter that tumbled below the zone for the first strikeout of his MLB career.

Kris Bryant reached base off Imanaga on an error to lead off the second inning. Imanaga then struck out consecutive batters on his way to getting out of the inning unscathed.

Imanaga didn’t allow his first hit until Blackmon singled to center field with two outs in the sixth. He closed out the inning with a strikeout of left fielder Nolan Jones to end his day on the mound. Yency Almonte took over in relief in the seventh, and the Cubs bullpen completed the shutout win.

Sixty-two of Imanaga’s 95 pitches thrown were thrown for strikes. He made Cubs and MLB history in the process. https://twitter.com/SlangsOnSports/status/1774894642204463249Imanaga’s 5 2/3 innings tied for the longest no-hit bid by a Cubs pitcher in his MLB debut since 1920, matching an effort by Amaury Telemaco in 1996.

Imanaga also tied the MLB record (since 1901) for strikeouts without a walk or run allowed in his MLB debut. Nick Kingham did the same in his 2018 debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bloopers get Cubs on the board

Chicago’s offense got some help from the not-so-stellar Rockies defense. With the game in a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth, Cubs third baseman Christopher Morel hit a single to shallow left field with two men on. He got further than first base.

Jones misplayed the ball in left, and it rolled all the way to outfield wall. Amid the chaos, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki scored from second and first. Morel then stood on third as Jones threw the ball back to the infield.

The ball didn’t make it. It bounced short of the cutoff man, and Morel sprinted home for the third run of the sequence. Chicago then had a three-run lead, which was more than enough amid Imanaga’s stellar outing. Jones was charged with a fielding error and a throwing error on the play, accounting for two of the runs scored.

The Cubs surely couldn’t have imagined a better debut for Imanaga when they acquired him. They signed Imanaga to a four-year, $53 million contract in January, which could extend to five years and $80 million. He joined the Cubs from the Yokohama BayStars of the Japan Central League.

Imanaga posted a 2.80 ERA in 22 starts for Yokohama last season. He led the Japan Central League with 174 strikeouts and walked 24 batters in 148 innings. He had a rough spring training, with a 2-2 record and a 5.68 ERA in the Cactus League. But he was clearly more than ready for his MLB debut on Monday.