Cubs will start Shota Imanaga in Game 2 of NLDS against Brewers
Cubs will start Shota Imanaga in Game 2 of NLDS against Brewers
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shota Imanaga is getting the call for the Chicago Cubs when they attempt to tie their NL Division Series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced at his Sunday news conference that Imanaga would be the starting pitcher for Game 2 of the best-of-five series. The Brewers haven’t yet named their Game 2 starter.
“I think he’s a thinking-man’s competitor, and he also pitches with a lot of joy on the mound while competing at a really high level,” Counsell said. “He doesn’t sometimes come across as, like, this fierce competitor because he’s really joyful on the mound. So that doesn’t come across as fierce necessarily. But I think he’s a fierce competitor.”
The Brewers took a 1-0 series lead on Saturday by scoring all their runs in the first two innings of a 9-3 victory
Imanaga is very familiar with the Brewers. He started against them three times during the regular season and went 1-2 with a 3.57 ERA in those games.
The 32-year-old left-hander went 9-8 overall with a 3.73 ERA in 25 regular-season starts. He also allowed two runs over four innings Wednesday in the Cubs’ 3-0 Game 2 loss to the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card Series.
Counsell praised the approach Imanaga has shown in each start in his two seasons since joining the Cubs on a four-year, $53 million contract. Imanaga went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 2024 to finish fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
“He’s trying to figure out a way to get you out, and he’s trying to figure out a way to be better, and that’s going on pitch to pitch,” Counsell said. “That’s going on between starts. He’s really good at that part of it. We’ve seen him pitch for two years, and we’ve seen him succeed for two years, and that’s how he does it to me. He’s a fun player to watch compete. There’s no question about it.”
Chicago reliever Ben Brown said the Cubs remain upbeat after losing the opening game of the series. He credited veterans Justin Turner, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Santana and Drew Pomeranz — who have a combined 168 games of postseason experience — for making sure everyone stayed grounded.
“It would be silly for us to be beat up losing one game," Brown said. "I don’t think anyone was wearing it yesterday. I don’t think that the vibes were super low in the clubhouse after a loss. It actually felt like we were just where we needed to be.”
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