MESA, Ariz. — Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga told teammate Seiya Suzuki that he would throw him only fastballs in live batting practice Wednesday.
“But once he gets out there, he looks bigger,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “And I don’t want to lose him. So I lied to him; I threw breaking balls, too.”
The live batting-practice session was Imanaga’s first as a Cub. It was also the first time he faced MLB hitters since coming over from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He pitched in the World Baseball Classic last spring.
“The hitters are able to adjust quickly,” Imanaga said Wednesday. “I faced two hitters twice, and the second time they were adjusting already. So, I know I threw a lot of fastballs today, but [we’ll] make sure we use a lot of different pitches next time.”
When Imanaga met with veteran catcher Yan Gomes after the session, Gomes noted that Imanaga’s slider wasn’t very consistent. Breaking balls are also the pitches Imanaga has found are most affected by the difference in baseballs used in MLB versus NPB.
Imanaga will take that feedback into his next live bullpen session before jumping into Cactus League action. He threw about 25 pitches Wednesday and is targeting two innings his next time out.
“That fastball is real nice,” Patrick Wisdom said after facing Imanaga. “He threw one in to me, and it got in there. Offspeed’s nice too. It’s just nice getting in there and seeing what he’s all about. It’s fun to compete against guys like that.”
Imanaga got Wisdom to pop out in his first at-bat. But his next time up, Wisdom homered off a slider that Imanaga hung high in the strike zone.
Imanaga also threw two breaking balls to Suzuki, both out of the zone, but he won a seven-pitch battle, getting Suzuki to swing on a fastball down and in for strike three.
Japanese ties
Though Imanaga and Suzuki haven’t faced each other since Suzuki signed with the Cubs two years ago, it was a familiar NPB matchup.
“I gave up a lot of home runs to him,” Imanaga said. “So, he’s probably pissed that we are on the same team right now, so his home-run number is going to go down.”
They were on different sides for years, with Suzuki playing for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and Imanaga for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. But on the international stage, they also both represented Team Japan.
“Shota’s pretty tough and he holds himself pretty well,” Suzuki said through an interpreter when asked about being a resource for Imanaga as he transitions to MLB. “So I don’t know if he needs me, but I’m always here for him. And if he has any questions or any concerns, then I’m always going to be by his side.”
The Cubs also signed Edwin Escobar from the BayStars to a non-roster invite deal this offseason. After breaking in with the Red Sox in 2014 and making 25 appearances for the Diamondbacks in 2016, Escobar continued his career in Japan.
“He’s a great guy,” Escobar said of Imanaga, his longtime teammate. “Great pitcher. I think he’s going to be really good here. You guys are going to see a lot of great stuff from him.”
Cactus League opener
The Cubs open Cactus League action Friday against the White Sox at Sloan Park. Left-hander Jordan Wicks is scheduled to take the mound for the Cubs, manager Craig Counsell revealed Wednesday.
