PHOENIX – Cub left-hander Shota Imanaga watched left fielder Ian Happ catch an inning-ending flyout and pointed to the sky. In a game the Cubs would win 4-3 against the Diamondbacks on Saturday, Imanaga had just breezed through the sixth inning.
Then he went out for the next inning as well, finishing his night after seven, while limiting Arizona to one run and three hits.
Imanaga had 10 days in between appearances, only throwing bullpens after his Opening Day start in Tokyo rather than making another spring training start. Cubs manager Craig Counsell cited exhaustion as a reason for the approach, making a point to say that Imanaga wasn’t injured.
In addition to his pitching duties in Japan, Imanaga’s media and ambassador demands spiked as he represented the Cubs in his home country.
He came out sharp on Tuesday. And after navigating back-to-back walks in the second inning, he only allowed three more baserunners – one of which came on a fielding error by rookie third baseman Matt Shaw.
Cubs closer Ryan Pressly gave up a two-run homer to Eugenio Suárez, who has hit four home runs this series, to make it a one-run game. But he escaped with the save, his first as a Cub.
With the win, the Cubs took a 2-1 lead in the series, guaranteeing at least a split.
Workman debut
Gage Workman, who the Cubs selected from the Tigers in the Rule 5 Draft this past winter, made his major-league debut Saturday playing third base and batting eighth.
“It’s a hard spring, just the nature of it,” Counsell said of competing for a roster spot as a Rule 5 Draft pick. “It feels like a do-or-die, almost. And it’s not, but that’s what it kind of feels like. And I think Gage has gone out there and shown who he is. He’s played really good defense, probably has been the most impressive thing, at a number of positions. That’s always been the thing that’s been very consistent in his career and in his background. And so that’s a really positive thing to add to a roster.”
Workman, who grew up in the Phoenix area and went to Arizona State University, had the added bonus of debuting against his hometown team with plenty of friends and family in the stands. He went 0-for-2 but made a smooth backhanded play in the fourth inning.
A couple of firsts
In the fifth inning, Kyle Tucker, who the Cubs acquired from the Astros this winter to boost their offense, blasted the first home run of his Cubs tenure.
He fouled off three pitches and watched two balls in the at-bat before driving a low changeup into the right-field stands. His two-run homer gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning.
Then the next inning, the Diamondbacks replaced right-handed starter Brandon Pfaadt with left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks, so Shaw pinch hit for Workman, a left-handed hitter.
Shaw jumped on a first-pitch fastball at the top of the strike zone for the first home run of his major-league career.
Assad update
Right-hander Javier Assad (strained left oblique) is scheduled to throw a second live batting practice session before graduating to pitching in extended spring, manager Craig Counsell said Thursday. If all goes well, the Cubs will then send Assad out on a minor-league rehab assignment.
“He’s got to get outings under his belt,” Counsell said. “It’s not going to be two outings.”