For only the second time in their history, the Cubs have achieved a combined no-hitter.
Shota Imanaga was the star of this game, leading to a 12-0 victory over the Pirates. The rookie pitched seven innings without allowing a hit, striking out seven and walking two. He threw 95 pitches before manager Craig Counsell decided it was best to pull him from the game.
“You’re taking care of Shota,” Counsell said after the game (via 670 The Score). “It’s 100% about taking care of Shota and making sure we’re doing the right thing for him. It’s not fun to do.”
Isaac Paredes made two errors in the sixth inning, adding seven extra pitches to Imanaga’s count. This left fans wondering if Imanaga might have pitched longer if not for those mistakes.
Nate Pearson took over in the eighth inning, and Porter Hodge closed out in the ninth.
Game Highlights:
Bryan Reynolds reached base on an error by Paredes but was wiped out by a double play. Connor Joe and Jared Triolo walked in the second inning, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Nick Gonzales reached base due to more errors from Paredes in the sixth.
After his impressive performance, Imanaga revealed he didn’t realize he had a no-hitter until Counsell approached him with concern after seven innings (via Marquee’s Taylor McGregor).
Fans might think it’s incredible how well Imanaga performed despite being pulled early.
This is already the fourth no-hitter of this MLB season! Previous ones include Ronel Blanco of the Astros against Blue Jays, Dylan Cease of Padres against Nationals, and Blake Snell of Giants against Reds. Notably, Imanaga is now among only four Japanese-born pitchers who have thrown at least seven no-hit innings as rookies.
The Cubs’ last combined no-hitter was started by Zach Davies against Dodgers in 2021. This recent one marks their first at Wrigley Field since 1972 and is their 18th overall—third most in MLB history! In fact, they’ve thrown five no-hitters just within this decade alone!
Imanaga’s debut season stats are impressive: he’s got a record of 12-3 with an ERA of 2.99. His wins tie him with Yankees’ Luis Gil among rookies this year while his ERA trails only Paul Skenes from Pirates. With 155 strikeouts so far, he leads all rookies too!
What do you think about Imanaga’s performance?
