Shota Imanaga named NL Rookie of the Month after scorching start with Cubs

Chicago Cubs rookie pitcher Shota Imanaga continues to rack up accolades after being named the National League Rookie of the Month after a red-hot start to his MLB career.

After a stellar start against the New York Mets on Wednesday, where he struck out seven batters in seven scoreless innings, Imanaga lowered his ERA to an MLB-best 0.78. The 30-year-old is also averaging more than a strikeout per inning pitched with 35 total on the season and five wins in his first six starts. He has also remarkably only surrendered 3 earned runs and 4 walks while opponents have an abysmal .172 batting average against Imanaga.

Imanaga's contract looks like a bargain

The Cubs signed Imanaga to a four-year deal over the winter, which is looking like one of the best contracts the team has dished out in recent years and possibly the best snag of the entire offseason. With a base salary of $9 million for 2024, the contract has the potential to pay the Japanese sensation $70 million over the next five years.

Aside from his video-game-like performance on the field so far, Imanaga has also captured the adoration of fans and teammates alike. When asked what it was like to pitch in New York for the first time, Imanaga casually commented that the view from his hotel room looked like the Spider-Man movie. There is also a certain swagger to his work on the mound that radiates confidence and we've heard from other Cubs players about how much they love it.

“You know, the first couple times when you try to hit off an Iron Mike?” he said. “And you can’t quite get to it? You keep getting under it, fouling it back? [Imanaga’s fastball] is the same thing. It just gets there faster than you think.”

Imanaga has lived up to his reputation from the Nippon Professional League so far, where he spent ten years before coming to the U.S. Hopefully he can keep up this production to take home the Rookie of the Year Award at the end of the season. At the very least, the guy has Cubs fans yearning to see him toe the rubber every five days.