Shota Imanaga: Everything you need to know

Imanaga (3-2) earned the win over Arizona on Saturday, allowing four hits and issuing one walk while striking out five batters over seven scoreless innings. Imanaga allowed just one extra-base hit (a double) and didn't allow any runners to reach third base. The southpaw was efficient in needing just 87 pitches to complete seven frames, and he racked up 14 whiffs. This was an excellent bounce-back performance for Imanaga after he allowed a season-worst five runs (four earned) in a loss against the Dodgers in his previous start. He's in the midst of a strong season overall, posting a 2.40 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 43:10 K:BB over 41.1 innings spanning seven starts.

Imanaga (2-2) took the loss Sunday, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks over 5.1 innings against the Dodgers. He struck out six. Imanaga wasn't at his best, allowing a season-high five runs, including three in the first inning. Sunday's outing snapped a stretch of stellar pitching from the southpaw, who had allowed just three runs across 24 innings over his previous four starts. Overall, the 32-year-old owns a 3.15 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with a 38:9 K:BB across 29 innings (five starts), and his next outing is projected for Saturday against the Diamondbacks.

Imanaga (2-1) earned the win Tuesday against the Phillies, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out one over seven innings. Imanaga turned in his third consecutive quality start Tuesday, limiting Philadelphia to just two hits over his first five innings before Kyle Schwarber's solo homer in the sixth accounted for the only damage. The left-hander continues to excel at run prevention, allowing just three runs across his last four starts (24 innings). Through five outings, he owns a 2.17 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 32:6 K:BB. Imanaga will face a much tougher challenge in his next scheduled outing against a loaded Dodgers lineup that leads MLB in most offensive categories, including a .293 team batting average.