Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga struck out nine in 4-1/3 scoreless innings in a spring training game against the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.
The Japanese left-hander picked up his second win of the spring after scattering three hits and walking none at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, outside Phoenix. The Cubs won 3-1.
Imanaga, who started for Japan in the final of the 2023 World Baseball Classic against the United States, joined the Cubs in the offseason after eight seasons with Japan's DeNA BayStars in Japan.
"I felt very good while playing catch before the game, so I wanted to carry that into the game," the 30-year-old said. "I want to consider my fastball to be completely different from the one I threw in Japan. It's good that it worked reliably that way today."
Imanaga's Japanese teammate Seiya Suzuki went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, the first driving in a run in the first inning. David Bote hit a solo home run for the Cubs in the eighth.
