Shota Imanaga will not be starting for the Chicago Cubs against Cincinnati on Sunday, finishing his rookie season with a record of 15-3 and a 2.91 ERA across 29 starts.
The 31-year-old left-handed pitcher from Japan will not take the mound because the “risk-reward benefit was not there,” according to manager Craig Counsell on Saturday.
Imanaga achieved 174 strikeouts and 28 walks in 173 1/3 innings.
He ended his last six starts with a perfect 6-0 record and a 2.25 ERA.
“We really feel like we’ve covered the innings for the rest of the season, essentially,” Counsell mentioned.
Imanaga also set a new personal record for wins in a season, surpassing his previous best of 13-7 while playing for Yokohama in 2019.
