Imanaga dazzles, Busch stars as Cubs look toward 2025

CHICAGO -- The Cubs will have time to assess their 2024 season in the coming weeks and months and what went wrong en route to missing the postseason for a fourth straight year.

But as far as what went right, at least on an individual level, look no further than Sunday’s series finale against the Nationals at Wrigley Field. Shota Imanaga and Michael Busch played starring roles in the Cubs’ 5-0 win over the Nationals. Imanaga threw seven scoreless innings, and Busch finished 2-for-4 with a double and home run.

Imanaga, who allowed six hits (four singles), became the Cubs' first rookie pitcher since Dick Drott (1957) to win 15 games in a season. A two-hour, 20-minute rain delay was no problem for the left-hander.

“I kept in mind during the game that there was a possibility it might continue to rain and there might be a delay,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “So just keeping that in mind, and not getting swayed too much with how the environment is around me and just focusing on the game [was key].”

Sunday’s rubber match marked the Cubs’ first game since being eliminated from 2024 postseason contention. Their loss to Washington on Saturday, combined with the Mets’ win over the Phillies later in the evening, officially ended their chances.

But Imanaga and Busch, who were two of the Cubs’ biggest offseason additions, continue to have outstanding impact in 2024. That makes them among the reasons to be optimistic about the North Siders in 2025.

Imanaga’s impact on the Cubs has been evident all season. In 29 starts, he has a 2.91 ERA (fifth among all qualified starters). What’s more, Chicago improved to 23-6 in games he's started, compared to 57-70 in all of its other games.

“He's been our best pitcher. He's been our best player,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “There's no question about it. He's just delivered, and he's been a huge boost for us.”

There were questions entering this season about how Imanaga would fare in his transition from Japan to the Major Leagues, including factors such as the travel schedule during the 162-game season and pitching every fifth day.

Imanaga, who has thrown 173 1/3 innings (25th in the Majors), is in line to make his 30th start against the Reds next weekend.

“Talking to Craig, talking to my teammates, they really emphasized how important it is to stay healthy -- especially in September,” Imanaga said. “That was one of the goals of mine, especially back in Spring Training -- being able to continue to pitch, stay healthy. I think I was able to do that and I think the preparation, and communication with the teammates helped.”

"There's nothing that we've thrown at him that has distracted him, and that's a great trait as well," Counsell said. "We threw a two-and-a-half-hour delay at him. Nothing gets him off. Interrupt his routine, it doesn't matter. Different days off, it doesn't matter. Cold weather, it doesn't matter. And that's a credit to a true competitor.”

Busch made his big league debut in 2023 with the Dodgers and played in 27 games. He has been a steady contributor at the plate and first base for the Cubs this season.

In 147 games, Busch is slashing .252/.335/.448. His 21 homers are tied for third among rookies with Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio; only San Diego’s Jackson Merrill (24) and Baltimore’s Colton Cowser (22) have more. Busch also entered Sunday tied for fifth among all first basemen with 4 Outs Above Average.

“[It’s] just the ebbs and flows of baseball,” said Busch. “I’ve been around this game for a little bit -- in the Minors and then a little bit in the Majors last year. But still, the ebbs and flows, the ups and the downs. Just trying to manage those and just trying to be as consistent as possible. I’m just trying to learn from good times and bad times. I think, ultimately, that's kind of the way I go about things, in a sense.”

The Cubs will need Imanaga and Busch to build upon what they’ve done this season next year. For now, their strong 2024 campaigns are worthy of recognition.

“So far, he's used his experiences in a great way to, I think, do that,” Counsell said of Imanaga. “And I think he'll continue to do that. But this is a heck of a season he's putting together. We're gonna try, he's gonna try. But it's a heck of a season he's put together.”