Cubs Pitcher of the Month - April 2024

The Cubs pitching depth has been put to the ultimate test this season, and we’re only one month in. Jameson Taillon missed a few weeks after an injury in Spring Training, Justin Steele only made it half a game in before hurting his hamstring, Julian Merryweather will be out until at least June, and finally Kyle Hendricks and Drew Smyly went to the IL after rough starts to the 2024 campaign.

Somehow, the team is still doing very well, thanks to a few pitchers who have exceeded expectations in order to keep the Cubs in strong contention for the NL Central crown. 

Top 3 Cubs Pitchers in April

#3: RHP Mark Leiter Jr.
14 G, 1-1, 5 Holds, 0.69 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 13 IP, 3 R, 1 ER, 10 H, 6 BB, 13 K. 
Mark Leiter Jr. has been the Cubs top reliever thus far, a role that was left empty when Merryweather was injured. Leiter Jr. had a rough end to last season, losing all control of his splitter. He was filling in for injured closer Adbert Alzolay and had a brutal September. Leiter Jr. had an 8.59 ERA that month, with an 8.44 FIP and 13.5% walk rate. I was glad he made the team to begin the season this year but was worried about how he could rebound after a brutal finish to his 2023 campaign.

Thankfully, he has been nothing short of fantastic this season. With countless pitching injuries, as I mentioned above, the need for elite pitching has become clear for Craig Counsell and Cubs fans alike. He threw 12 1/3 innings before allowing his first earned run and had a rough game in Boston.

The Cubs clearly don't have a closer, which is an issue that needs to be fixed rather quickly. Adbert Alzolay is an absolute mess, as he has forgotten how to pitch in any situation whatsoever. Hector Neris has four straight saves, but the numbers show that he is getting lucky, and that it would probably suit Counsell to look elsewhere. Where can he look, you may ask? Leiter Jr. would be the perfect answer, especially with his elite splitter, a pitch that has generated a 55.9% whiff rate so far this year. 

#2: RHP Javier Assad
6 GS, 2-0, 1.97 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 32 IP, 7 ER, 23 H, 9 BB, 27 K.  
Javier Assad was originally going to be in the bullpen this season, but Jameson Taillon’s injury moved him into the rotation. Once Taillon came back, Assad stayed because Hendricks then got hurt. Over his career, he has been extremely efficient, with a 2.87 ERA over 179 innings.

This season, he’s started six games, throwing a total of 32 innings. His ERA currently sits at 1.97, with a 7.1% walk rate and 27 strikeouts. Hitters have a .198 average against Assad, scoring only seven runs. One of his best qualities is the hit rate, which is only 31.8%. This is 82nd percentile in all of baseball, complimented by an average exit velocity of 87.6 miles per hour (69th percentile). He doesn’t have just one main pitch, but mixes in a sinker, cutter, and four-seam fastball. Along with this he throws a slider, changeup, and the occasional curveball. Assad generates the most whiffs on his slider with a 35.3% whiff rate, although a majority of his strikeouts come from either a sinker or four-seam fastball. This sinker has a run value of +6, with opponents owning a .154 batting average against said pitch. While it’s unclear how long he will last in the rotation, I think it’s safe to say he will keep the job once Justin Steele returns.

Chicago Cubs Pitcher of the Month (April): LHP Shōta Imanaga 
5 GS, 4-0, 0.98 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 27 2/3 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 3 BB, 28 K. 
Shōta Imanaga was one of the biggest free agents coming over from Japan this offseason and has done nothing but outperform his expectations. The Cubs are 5-0 in games started by Imanaga, who has a 4-0 record due to a rain delay that shortened his start against the Dodgers on April 7th, hindering his ability to earn that fifth win. We were told a few things when Imanaga signed with the Cubs, including multiple comments about his excellent command.

He doesn't throw hard but still figures out a way to strike batters out. One specific example was on April 7th when he struck out Shohei Ohtani in the first inning. He threw a four-season fastball at 94.4 miles per hour, with a spin rate of 2476, and horizontal break of 10 inches running towards from Ohtani. This specific pitch stuck out to me because of the fact that he didn't throw it very hard, yet Ohtani nearly lost his helmet on the swing. There is clearly a lot of movement on his pitches, the velocity doesn’t matter. Imanaga averages 19.2 inches of vertical break on his fastball, which is in the upper 5% of all pitchers. The fastball was elite in Japan for Imanaga, and that has clearly carried over to pitching in the big leagues as well.

He currently has a 0.98 ERA, along with a 2.8% walk rate, which is one of the lowest in baseball. The main concern for Imanaga is the fly balls, and how he will most likely give up a lot of home runs. His fly ball rate through April is only 36.4%, and he has a 0.65 HR/9. Imanaga made his major league debut on April 1st, appearing in the Cubs home opener against the Rockies. I was worried about how the weather would affect him, as his first few starts were in colder conditions. I mentioned this in a prior article, but he continued to perform even in warmer conditions. When Justin Steele went down on Opening Day, his absence loomed large. Thankfully, Imanaga has stepped up to fill his shoes and even excelled at the standards that were put on him. 

As I mentioned earlier, Assad and Leiter Jr. were elite to begin the season. The fact someone was better than them is impressive, and great for the overall performance of the team. There was no way I could choose someone other than Imanaga, as he’s not only been the best pitcher for the Cubs, but is also one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.

Do you agree with our choice of Shota Imanaga as the Cubs Pitcher of the Month in April?