Right-hander Hayden Wesneski had just pitched one of the best games of his career, throwing 6⅓ scoreless innings in the Cubs’ 5-0 victory Sunday against the Angels.
When he was asked about his outing, Wesneski sounded more concerned about helping the Cubs get a needed victory than about what he did personally. When he was asked about left-hander Shota Imanaga, however, Wesneski gushed.
‘‘Man, he’s something else; he’s a great person,’’ Wesneski said. ‘‘You wouldn’t know if he had a good day or bad day. It just seems like every day is a good day for him. I don’t mean that as pitching; I mean that as a person.’’
Because of Imanaga’s good days as a pitcher, he was named a National League All-Star on Sunday.
In his first season in the United States, Imanaga quickly acclimated to taking on big-league hitters. He won his first five starts and didn’t allow an earned run in his first 18⅓ innings. At 7-2 with a 3.16 ERA, Imanaga figures to be a strong contender for NL Rookie of the Year honors and is one of the main reasons the disappointing Cubs still have an outside shot at making the playoffs.
He also has become an important part of the Cubs’ clubhouse culture and has adapted well to life in the majors.
‘‘That’s one thing I’ve never really been through, in a sense — coming over to a new team, a new country,’’ first baseman Michael Busch said. ‘‘Not his first language, but he’s done a really good job at trying and accepting that. He’s fit in right away. He’s been one of those players, guys that we looked to right away.’’
During a long season, a consistent personality is crucial. That’s true in Japan, where Imanaga began his career, and in the United States.
‘‘Just the same guy every day, which is a really good thing,’’ Busch said. ‘‘The way he handles himself on and off the field is going to be a role model for a long time.’’
While Imanaga’s rookie season has been mostly successful, there have been a couple of hiccups.
On May 29, the Brewers battered Imanaga for seven runs and two home runs in 4⅓ innings. And on June 21, the Mets pummeled him for 10 runs and three homers in three innings.
There are also lingering questions about how well his arsenal will fare against big-league hitters in the long term. Imanaga, a fly-ball pitcher, is getting grounders only 34.7% of the time, and opponents are barreling pitches at a 9.8% clip with a hard-hit rate of 39.2%.
Still, Imanaga has been quite effective overall, thanks to a four-seam fastball that averages only 91.8 mph but is in the 90th percentile in terms of spin rate and a split-fingered pitch that’s rare for a left-hander. Imanaga also has done a good job of avoiding walks, handing out only 15 in 91 innings.
‘‘He’s got a great attitude every single day,’’ manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘He’s a learner. He wants to get better. He’s curious. All of those things keep him moving forward, get him past tough moments. He wants more, and he always tries to do a little better and do a little more and get better at the next thing.
‘‘Those are signs of great players, and he’s very deserving of the [All-Star] recognition.’’
Imanaga said he thinks his teammates deserve credit for how they’ve helped him.
‘‘I’m very thankful for everybody in the clubhouse, the support staff, everyone,’’ Imanaga said through a translator. ‘‘Watching the other players, I’ve mimicked what they’re doing going about their day. And the support from them, that’s helped a lot.’’
