Chicago Cubs Roster Showcases Two of Best Left-Handed Pitchers in Baseball

The Chicago Cubs have received great production from their southpaws this season.

Aug 24, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) pitches against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at loanDepot Park. / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs have been handling business recently, doing everything in their power to climb back into the wild card race in the National League.

Entering play against the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon, the Cubs were one of the hottest teams in baseball. They are riding a five-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest with the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

Only four games out of the final wild card spot entering the final month of the season, Chicago has plenty of work left to do. Receiving continued production from their left-handed starting pitching duo of Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele would certainly help.

Both have been solid for the Cubs this season, and their performance has been recognized by MLB writer Joel Reuter. 

Over at Bleacher Report, Reuter ranked players in 14 different positions. He broke down the pitchers into right-handed and left-handed, setup relievers and closers.

Coming in at No. 6 among the left-handed starters was Imanaga. He held down that same spot in last month’s rankings that Reuter shared and is a spot that he has earned with excellent production.

In his first season in the Major Leagues, the Japanese star has had 25 starts, going 11-3 and throwing 146.1 innings. He has recorded an ERA of 3.13, WHIP of 1.052 and has an elite 130 ERA+.

Imanaga has exhibited pinpoint control throughout the season, walking only 23 batters compared to 148 strikeouts. That puts him in first place in the Majors with a 1.4 BB/9 and 6.43 K/BB ratios.

After being named to the All-Star team as a rookie, he has cemented himself as the team’s ace as a reliable starter throughout the 2024 campaign. 

That was a title that Steele looked like he was going to hold previously. He made the All-Star team in 2023 and finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting.

A stint on the injured list after his first start of the season resulted in him falling off some people’s radars. But, Steele has picked up right where he left off in 2023 in terms of production.

Through 22 starts, Steele has gone 5-5, throwing 128 innings. He has an ERA of 3.09 and a WHIP of 1.086, which would be the lowest of his career.

The 29-year-old has done an excellent job of limiting contact once again, as his 7.4 H/9 would be a career-best. He has allowed only 0.8 HR9 as well, just off the league-best 0.7 he had during his 2023 breakout.

While Steele was only an honorable mention heading into September, another strong month will certainly place him inside the season-long top 10.