How much should Cubs fans take from Shota Imanaga's rough second spring start?

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cubs manager Craig Counsell isn’t leaping to any conclusions after left-hander Shota Imanaga was hit hard in his last spring training start.

“The first home run, I thought, was a good pitch that they hit,” Counsell said Monday, reflecting on the previous day’s outing.

For the next two, Counsell pointed to sequencing, a collaborative responsibility, as a potential issue.

“But the velocity was good again, which is really encouraging,” Counsell said. “So we're a step closer, on a good day of build up.”

Those three solo homers accounted for the three runs Imanaga surrendered to the White Sox in 2⅔ innings. He pushed his pitch count up to 47. And his fastball velocity sat at 92.7 mph, nearly 1 mph above his 2025 average, according to Statcast. He touched 94 mph.

“I focus on what the average velo is,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “You can throw 94 in the first, but what matters is, when you’re in the seventh, eighth, you're in a tough situation, you can bring the velo up and execute a tough pitch. That’s what I try to think about.”

Each home run Sunday came on a different pitch. The White Sox’ Edgar Quero got to a high heater located above the strike zone. Austin Hayes golfed out a splitter. Lenyn Sosa turned on a belt-high sinker.

“For me, results are important,” Imanaga said. “I go out there and try to keep them scoreless. And obviously [Sunday], that wasn’t the case.”

Imanaga harped on recovery between starts and honing that routine, as well as making adjustments to limit the long ball.

PitchCom usage

Imanaga has also been experimenting this spring with inputting pitch calls from the mound. He is not fully calling his own game. But the PitchCom device attached to the back of his glove opens up two-way communication with the catcher.

“We're not really doing game planning in spring training like you would in a traditional regular-season game,” Counsell said. “The purpose of using PitchCom for Shota is really just to give himself a little more time. So he's experimenting with that part of it, and how, how it does, or doesn't give him more time.”

In theory, the setup could limit the back and forth that comes when a pitcher shakes off a call from the catcher. Those extra seconds are all the more important in the pitch clock era.

Alcántara in the outfield

Kevin Alcántara made his first outfield appearance of the spring on Monday, delayed slightly by his recovery from offseason hernia surgery.

Alcántara eased into action as the designated hitter Saturday. And Counsell complimented the towering right-handed hitter’s swing adjustments.

“The thing that’s impressive about Kevin is, he’s hitting the ball really hard right now, almost different from everybody else taking batting practice,” he said. “That’s going to work.”

On Monday, Alcántara recorded his first hit of the spring, a single through the left side of the field, and drew a walk in four plate appearances.