Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commi sion if you sign up through our links Tyler Duffey Jersey . Read our for more information. Its been all as advertised and then some with Shota Imanaga for the Cubs. The 30-year-old rookie who made a reputation for his distinguished pitch arsenal has picked up right where he left off in Japan. Hes hoodwinked hitters with his signature fastball-heavy approach, eliciting a 56.5 swing percentage the second-highest among all eligible pitchers, per Statcast. Imanaga gets hitters to bite because hes dealt the baseball with polished command, walking them at only a 2.8 percent rate. All of this has helped him cruise to a 4-0 start while generating a 0.98 ERA and 0.80 WHIP. He hasnt allowed much quality contact, either; only five barrels and two home runs have been hit by opposing bats in 27/ innings. Explore More The Mets face him at Citi Field on Wednesday with a run-of-the-mill lineup in that area. Theyve been bolstered by Pete Alonsos home runs and some other timely hitting, but otherwise rank 14th in wRC+, according to FanGraphs. Jose Butto #70 of the New York Mets in action against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning at Citi Field on April 14, 2024 in New York City. Getty Images of exciting here and there throughout April, but inconsistencies in the depths of the batting order have hindered it in critical moments dating back to last season. Just ask Jose Butto, who counters Imanaga with a 2.86 ERA and 27.8 strikeout rate. Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting Read about the Learn all about His efforts have amounted to an 0-1 record in four starts where early run support was a problem. Imanaga has shown he can stiff-arm hitters deep enough into games and allow a Cubs lineup thats red-hot in advanced hitting to make noise. The play: Cubs (-115, ) Hunter Renfroe Jersey