GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shota Imanaga had one goal Saturday during his Cactus League debut for the Chicago Cubs.
Do not allow a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Japanese lefty’s outing didn’t play out as hoped — he gave up a three-run homer to Andy Pages in the second inning on a 93-mph fastball. But Imanaga recovered to strike out the next three hitters before returning to face one batter in the third. That at-bat also ended with a strikeout to cap his 2 1/3-inning start in front of 12,134 fans at sold out Camelback Ranch.
“Even though (the home run) happened it was a good learning experience to try to figure out how that could end up being a single in front of left field,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “It was an 0-1 count and I should’ve thrown the fastball a little higher.
“I would like to work on throwing it higher in the zone or missing lower — even if it’s a lower pitch that would be a little bit better.”
He didn’t show his full repertoire Saturday but plans to incorporate all of them so opposing hitters know he can throw multiple pitches. Imanaga finished with five strikeouts, three versus lefties, including slugger Freddie Freeman, who whiffed on a 94-mph fastball for the second out of the first inning.
“I felt better throwing the sinker inside to lefties and getting ahead in the count,” Imanaga said.
Imanaga’s outing started with a clock violation before he threw a pitch to the first batter of the game, quickly putting him behind Miguel Rojas 1-0. It marked his first game experience in which he needed to keep an eye on clock behind the plate.
“I would like to understand the pitch clock a little bit better,” Imanaga said. “Today is a good learning experience that they called the violation. But I want to start using it to my own advantage.”
Imanaga wasn’t sure whether his next start will be on a five- or six-day schedule. In the meantime, he wants to focus on his recovery and figure out how he best can do that while still building up.
Manager Craig Counsell wasn’t hoping to see anything in particular from Imanaga’s first start, only wanting him to get out of the game healthy. Counsell preached patience for the team and Imanaga to make any observations about the outing.
“I’m not really interested in (his stuff) today, if that makes sense. I’m really not,” Counsell said. “I’m really just interested in him going out there and enjoying himself, getting two innings, walking off the mound and being good and then moving on to the next time. That’s what this should be for really today.
“He’s got enough going on, like, it’s doesn’t have to be a big evaluation day. It really doesn’t.”
Ian Happ sidelined by injury
A mild left hamstring strain will keep the left fielder out of Cactus League games for the foreseeable future after suffering the injury Thursday.
The Cubs are optimistic he will have enough time to be ready for opening day, though Counsell said Happ will need to play in some spring games if he is going to avoid beginning the season on the injured list.
“It’s spring training, I think that leads us to be conservative probably regardless of the injury,” Counsell said. “The most important thing is that we just get Ian enough at-bats before opening day to feel in a good spot offensively. And we’ll be in a good spot to do that.”
First basemen Garrett Cooper, whose minor-league deal and big-league-camp invite became official Saturday, and Dom Smith will make their spring debuts Monday. Patrick Wisdom (right quad) is expected to be back in the lineup Tuesday.
Cooper gives the Cubs depth and another option with big-league experience. Counsell acknowledged that Cooper joins at crowded group at first base, including Matt Mervis, who hit a solo home run over the 410-foot center-field wall Saturday. In Cooper’s seven big-league seasons, he appeared in 481 games, predominately with the Miami Marlins, with whom he hit .269 with a .338 on-base percentage.
“But you can see one thing happening and then a lot makes sense, right?” Counsell said. “So I think there’s some protection for us. And we’ll give Garrett an opportunity to show us what he can do.”