Cubs rookie Shota Imanaga continues to blow first-year expectations out of the water

That infamous summer slowdown for first-year pitchers? Not a thing for Chicago Cubs rookie Shota Imanaga, who continues to impress even as the calendar turns to August. His latest effort? A 10-strikeout showing against the Minnesota Twins, tying a career-high he set back on July 21 against Arizona.

Imanaga mixed his plus fastball up in the zone with his overpowering splitter that had Twins hitters chasing all night long. He also mixed in some breaking stuff, rounding out a repertoire that has helped him deliver one of the best rookie seasons in recent Cubs history.

On the year, Imanaga boasts a 3.06 ERA in 21 starts spanning 123 1/3 innings. He's shown a remarkable ability to attack the zone and limit free passes, which has been a strength of his dating back to his early years in Japan. He's issued just 18 walks to his 128 strikeouts, a 7.11 K/BB mark that leads all National League starters.

Cubs have a rotation core that should be strong for years to come

Imanaga, along with Justin Steele, who finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting a year ago, and the ever-steady Jameson Taillon, gives Chicago a formidable trio atop the rotation for at least the next two years. Rounding out the rotation with a mix of young arms, including Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Javier Assad and top prospect Cade Horton is a promising thought.

Before Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes debuted and started carving his way through opposing lineups every five days, Imanaga looked like a real Rookie of the Year frontrunner. But what Skenes has done has been of a different caliber altogether and, barring a late-season injury should become the first Pirate to win the honors since Jason Bay in 2004.

The future is bright for Imanaga regardless of the hardware he brings home at season's end. He's jumped from Japan to MLB flawlessly, has the makings of an all-time free agent bargain, a major feather in the cap of the Cubs front office and an ace for years to come.