Cubs Beat Athletics 9-2 Behind Rookie Imanaga

Chicago Cubs rookie pitcher Shota Imanaga delivered a standout performance on Monday, striking out a career-high 11 batters and securing his 14th win of the season in a 9-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics. Imanaga, who has transitioned successfully from Japan to the MLB, has now accumulated 166 innings pitched and maintains a 3.03 ERA. Despite the Cubs' slim 0.2% chance of making the playoffs, Imanaga's contributions, including 18 quality starts, have been a significant highlight. The Cubs remain five games behind the Mets for the final NL Wild Card with 12 games left in the season. Dansby Swanson also contributed with a three-run homer, and the Cubs' offense produced 18 hits in the game.