Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Cubs Play It Safe with Shota Imanaga, Ending Scoreless Start Early

Chicago Cubs can't afford another pitching injury!

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Shota Imanaga was in complete control on Tuesday night at PNC Park, shutting out the Pirates with ease, until a slight scare in the sixth inning cut his outing short and brought flashbacks the Cubs would rather forget.

With the Cubs leading 4-0 and riding a wave of momentum atop the NL Central, Shota Imanaga appeared to tweak something following a leadoff double by Andrew McCutchen. Trainers quickly emerged from the dugout after a conversation on the mound, and manager Craig Counsell opted not to take any chances. The left-hander exited the game after 87 pitches, having delivered yet another stellar performance.

Shota Imanaga left today's game with an apparent injury. pic.twitter.com/WMw5EkQ8Fl
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 30, 2025

Imanaga later revealed that he had started feeling discomfort an inning earlier, and while it had gotten slightly worse, he didn’t view it as a serious concern. The 31-year-old said he expects to make his next start. The Cubs, however, are likely to tread carefully, especially in light of the season-ending injury to Justin Steele, who had been the team’s co-ace alongside Imanaga.

Before his early exit, Imanaga had been nearly untouchable. He scattered six hits across five-plus scoreless innings, walked only one batter, and struck out three. When the Pirates loaded the bases in the fifth with two outs, Imanaga calmly dispatched Bryan Reynolds on three pitches to escape the jam. The performance lowered his ERA to 2.77 and reminded everyone why he’s quickly become Chicago’s most dependable arm.

This season has only reinforced Imanaga’s emergence as a top-tier pitcher. After going 15–3 with a 2.91 ERA and earning an All-Star nod in his debut 2024 campaign, which ended with a fourth-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting, Imanaga has continued his dominance. Through his first seven starts of 2025, he’s limited opponents to one run or fewer in five outings. And each time he’s faltered, allowing five runs against both the Rangers and Dodgers, he’s bounced back immediately with scoreless efforts.

ALSO READ: What’s Next for Chicago Cubs After Justin Steele’s Season-Ending Injury?

That consistency has become all the more vital in the wake of Steele’s absence. The Cubs are off to a strong start and know their playoff hopes hinge heavily on Imanaga staying healthy. Tuesday’s early hook may have been precautionary, but the Chicago Cubs need to ensure Shota Imanaga is healthy for the rest of the season, even if it costs them some additional work from their bullpen.

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Shota Imanaga

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.