Chicago Cubs Star Rookie Named NL All Star Reserve

The Cubs rookie pitcher was named to the All Star team after a dominant first half.

Jul 3, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs had just one player named to the All Star team after the reserves were announced on Sunday, but it was a player that definitely earned it. Shota Imanaga is in his first season in America after a long, storied career in Japan and has continued his dominance.

The lefty started out the season as one of the most unhittable pitchers in baseball. In fact, it wasn't until his 14th start in MLB that his ERA even went over 2.00. Through his first 13 games, the 30-year-old pitched in 76 innings and struck out 78 batters, with just a 1.89 ERA and .222 opponent batting average.

His first blowup start, where he allowed ten runs in three innings, came in his 14th start and vaulted his ERA to nearly three. However, Imanaga bounced back with two starts where he allowed just three runs in six innings in both. Outside of the ten run start and one where he allowed seven runs, his ERA sits at 1.61.

Imanaga was signed for $53 million in the offseason, which now looks like a bargain. After being the second option behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Imanaga is the one that is an All Star. In what has been a rough season in Chicago, he becomes the first Cubs rookie to make the All Star team since Kris Bryant in 2015.