Ed Odeven 
Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitches against the San Diego Padres on April 15, 2025, at Petco Park. (©KYODO)
Based on his overall success in 2024, nobody should be surprised by how well Chicago Cubs starter Shota Imanaga is pitching in the opening weeks of the 2025 MLB campaign.
Imanaga made his fifth start of the season on Tuesday, April 15, facing the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. And for the fourth time this season, he allowed zero or one run.
The veteran lefty pitched five innings of no-run ball against the Padres, allowing four hits. He walked three and struck out seven in a no-decision.
Chicago broke a 1-1 tie on a Nico Hoerner triple off San Diego reliever Yuki Matsui (0-1) in the top of the 10th, winning 2-1.
Quality Pitching by Imanaga
Imanaga is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 2025. In 28⅓ innings, he's only given up 18 hits. He's fanned 21 batters and walked 10.
In addition to his four frames of no-hit ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB Tokyo Series opener on March 18, Imanaga impressed in an April 4 showdown against the San Diego Padres. The Padres entered that game with a seven-game winning streak to open the season.
So how did Imanaga fare against the red-hot Padres?
He yielded one run in 7⅓ scoreless innings, scattering four hits in the Cubs' 3-1 triumph.
The one blip on Imanaga's stretch of excellent starts to open the season occurred on April 9 against the Texas Rangers. He gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings.
After the game in Arlington, Texas, Imanaga told reporters it was a learning experience.
"I would say the hitters were adjusting to the [split-finger fastball]," he commented. "[And] I threw it in the zone a little bit more. So just kind of reflecting on it, I need to do a little bit better, and when they do make that adjustment, making a better pitch with the splitter."
A quick reminder: Imanaga had a sensational 15-3 record with a 2.91 ERA in his first season with the Cubs.
Darvish Making Preparations for His MLB Return
San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish began the season on the injured list due to elbow inflammation.
Sidelined since mid-March, Darvish now appears to be taking the first steps toward his return.
Padres beat writer Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Darvish's injury rehab on Sunday, April 13.
"Yu Darvish threw in the bullpen yesterday for the first time since mid-March," Acee wrote. "It was a light session of 11 pitches thrown nowhere near full intensity to a catcher who was standing up.
"His next step will depend on how he feels, which is consistent with how the Padres are approaching the rehab for the 38-year-old right-hander."
Acee then outlined the likely best-case scenario for Darvish's return.
"Darvish will need at least a few full-intensity turns in the bullpen and some combination of two or three minor-league starts and simulated games before returning," he wrote, "which means his season debut would come no sooner than mid-May."
Darvish went 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 16 starts in 2024. He also spent considerable time on the injured list and won the 200th game of his career in NPB and MLB.
Kikuchi Still Seeking 1st Win with the Angels
Los Angeles Angels newcomer Yusei Kikuchi has made four starts this season, and he remains winless.
The veteran left-hander was back on the pitcher's mound on Tuesday, and he held the Texas Rangers to three hits and a run in six innings.
When Kikuchi exited the game, the Angels trailed 1-0 en route to a 4-0 defeat in Arlington, Texas.
Kikuchi fell to 0-3 in 2025.
Tuesday's effort was Kikuchi's best outing of the season. But he didn't receive any run support.
In all four of his regular-season appearances with the Angels, including on Opening Day, the Iwate Prefecture native has pitched six innings.
Bullpen Duty for Tigers' Maeda
Entering his ninth MLB season in March, Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda was assigned to the bullpen.
It wasn't a completely unfamiliar role for him in the majors. He had spent time as a reliever in 2024 for the Tigers and during parts of three seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2017-19). But he's mostly been a starter throughout his career.
In his first two appearances of the season, on March 29 against the Dodgers and April 4 against the Chicago White Sox, Maeda allowed a combined six hits and five runs in three innings. As a result, his ERA skyrocketed to 15.00.
In his last two outings on back-to-back days, Maeda held the Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers to a combined one hit and one run over three frames. Maeda pitched the final two innings of the Tigers' 9-1 road win against the Brewers on Monday, April 14. And his ERA dropped to 9.53.
A Quick Update on MLB Prospect Nishida
Rikuu Nishida has had a strong start on offense for the Double-A Birmingham Barons, the Chicago White Sox's Southern League affiliate.
In seven games (through April 15), the Osaka native is batting .350 (7-for-20) with four runs and four stolen bases.
The 23-year-old Osaka native has started two games at second base and three games in left field for the Barons.
Nishida attended the University of Oregon. The White Sox selected him in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
