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Cubs' Shota Imanaga continues to raise the bar, throws career-high 11 strikeouts in win against A's

Justin Casterline/Getty

A host of questions surrounded left-hander Shota Imanaga as he entered his rookie season.

How would he handle all that came with the transition from Japan to the United States? How would his stuff play against MLB hitters? How would he adjust to a different ball, strikezone, mound — a pitch clock?

“He’s passed every test – and every question that we’ve tried to ask, even, about him – really, really well,” manager Craig Counsell said before the Cubs’ 9-2 win Monday against the A’s.