MILWAUKEE — As Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga evaluated his first MLB postseason appearance last week, in preparation for his start Monday against the Brewers, his hung splitter to Padres slugger Manny Machado stood out. But he also honed in on other misses that didn’t lead to a two-run home run.
“As a pitcher, if you’re scared of missing like that, that’s just going to help the hitter,” Imanaga said through Japanese interpreter Edwin Stanberry after the Cubs’ workout Sunday. “As a pitcher, yes, that’s going to happen throughout a game. But just making sure I’m keeping on my mind that I’ve got to stay calm at all times.”
Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced Sunday that Imanga would take the ball in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. It’s a high-stakes contest, with the Cubs trailing the Brewers 1-0 after dropping the series opener 9-3 on Saturday.
A win Monday would even the series. A loss would leave the Cubs no room for error in the best-of-five clash.
“Everything that I’ve done up to that point, that’s all I can do,” Imanaga said of what he learned from his first taste of the MLB playoffs. “You can’t all of a sudden do something that you’ve never done before. So just understanding that, all that preparation and hard work that came up to that point, and do my best.”
Monday will, however, be a new experience. Imanaga has pitched in big games before, from his time in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, to starting the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship game for Team Japan, to following right-handed opener Andrew Kittredge Wednesday against the Padres in Game 2 of the wild-card series. But Monday will be his first MLB postseason start.
“He doesn’t sometimes come across as this fierce competitor because he’s really joyful on the mound,” Counsell said. “That doesn’t come across as fierce, necessarily, but I think he’s a fierce competitor.
“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; that’s going on in between starts. He’s really good at that part of it.”
The Cubs could use a sharper performance from Imanaga on Monday, even though Machado’s two-run blast accounted for the only runs he allowed in four innings last week.
The Brewers have traditionally been a tough matchup for Imanaga. He’s recorded a 5.73 ERA against them in four regular-season starts.
Chourio status in flux
Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio’s status for the rest of the series remains in flux, after he exited Game 1 with an injury to his right hamstring — the same one he pulled legging out a triple against the Cubs in late July.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy characterized Chourio’s MRI as “inconclusive” and said he would further test his hamstring during the Brewers’ workout Sunday.
“It’s not a serious hamstring strain, but it’s not necessarily something that won’t limit him,” Murphy said.
Facing an opener
Murphy announced Sunday that left-handed reliever Aaron Ashby will serve as the Brewers’ opener Monday.
Though Murphy insisted he didn’t know if right-handed starter Quinn Priester would follow, that appeared to be the most likely scenario. The Brewers have used an opener before Priester against the Cubs before.
The Cubs use slightly different lineup construction depending on the handedness of the opposing pitcher. It’s unclear whether manager Criag Counsell will cater his lineup to the opener or likely bulk pitcher.
