Shota Imanaga has given up more home runs than just about anyone, but Cubs thankful for what he’s given them

CINCINNATI — Shota Imanaga gave up another home run Friday night.

It’s nothing new.

The Cubs’ lefty starter has allowed 22 homers, more than all but one pitcher in baseball this season.

He’s been unable to shake that bad habit, bringing up memories of how costly his home-run problem was last postseason, when he allowed three long balls in just 6⅔ innings of playoff work against the Padres and Brewers.

For now, the Cubs will choose to look at the positives Imanaga has delivered for an ailing pitching staff.

He wrapped up his first half with his 19th start of the season Friday, the most on the team. His 108 innings are tops on the Cubs’ staff, as well. That work has been a godsend for a rotation otherwise ravaged by injuries.

“Shota’s been throwing the ball well,” manager Craig Counsell said before Friday’s game. “He had that little three-start stretch where it didn’t go so well. But him and Colin [Rea] have been the guys who have been able to take the ball every fifth day, and we’ve obviously needed that. And you always feel, with Shota, there’s a chance you can get that length in the game from a starter that we need.”

That three-start stretch was, at least from a results perspective, more like a four-start stretch, during which Imanaga allowed 26 runs and 12 homers in 21⅔ innings.

But outside of that, he’s looked like the top-of-the-rotation arm the Cubs have desperately needed him to be. He carried a 2.32 ERA into that ugly quartet of outings, and since it ended, he’s got a 2.81 ERA in six starts.

With righty Cade Horton, who began the campaign with ace potential, done for the season and righty Ben Brown, who put up sensational numbers in fill-in duty, perhaps unlikely to start again this year, the Cubs need someone to fill the ace role.

Lefty Matthew Boyd is an obvious in-house choice. And then there’s the potential for trade-deadline additions, though No. 1 pitchers have a tendency to come with massive price tags at this time of year, something Jed Hoyer’s front office shied away from as recently as last summer.

So why not Imanaga?

Maybe that big home-run number is a notable barrier to ace-dom. If he can’t keep opposing hitters in the yard come October, the Cubs could have an unwanted sequel on their hands.

But Friday, despite giving up that homer, it was all he gave up, allowing just one run in his five innings.

The Cubs will be thankful for that.

One more and he’s back?

Righty starter Jameson Taillon will make a second minor league rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Iowa, what could be his final tune-up before returning from a hamstring strain that’s kept him on the injured list for more than a month.

Should everything go well, Counsell said, Taillon will return to the Cubs’ rotation on the other side of the All-Star break.

Swing, batter

Utility man Matt Shaw will test out his sprained hand again this weekend.

The Cubs are hoping to get Shaw, who has been on the IL since late last month, free of the symptoms he’s experienced in order to get him swinging again after the break.