From the moment Shota Imanaga recited lines from “Go Cubs Go” in the introductory press conference, the team got a sense of the star’s affability. Imanaga’s playful behavior, mixed with exaggerated facial expressions in the field, made the Japanese a fan favourite. And it is his sharp baseball narrative that gave him the nickname “Throwing Philosopher” in his home country, and such an intellect helped the star to bounce back from a strained left hamstring. However, in Game 2 of the NLDS, Imanaga’s game met a reality check.

The Cubs are on the cusp of elimination after their 7-3 loss to the Brewers, and much of the blame has fallen on Craig Counsell and his decision to start Imanaga. David Haugh, of 670 The Score, highlighted how Counsell’s narrative failed “I don’t understand why Craig Counsell uses data to have Justin Turner start in place of Michael Busch, but then trots out Shota Imanaga to start a crucial Game 2 of the NLDS when Imanaga has been getting hit hard for more than a month. Ask David if the opener was the right move by the Brewers because it was the right move or because they won. Well, it was the right move because it served a purpose. It worked. It got Craig Counsell to take out your hottest hitter for two at-bats. That, to me, is a win“.

Haugh further added, “And that, to me, is what is frustrating about this Cub experience, these decisions that are being made don’t seem to be in the best interest of winning. They’re also wildly inconsistent in terms of using logic. At one point, you’re using numbers to tell you Michael Busch must sit against lefties. On the other hand, you’re ignoring those numbers when it says Shota Imanaga doesn’t give up home runs in the first inning. Yeah, he does. And yes, he did… This is crazy, man. He’s a DH. He’s a designated hugger. Oh, God.”

Haugh’s frustration echoed that of multiple other Cubs fans. The Brewers’ clever opener’s approach forced the Cubs into benching Busch, their hottest bat, for two at-bats. However, the Brewers punished Shota Imanaga early and highlighted a tactical mismatch that Craig Counsell and the team looked unprepared to counter.

Counsell’s decision to utilize Imanaga as a starter at Game 2 is being heavily criticized. He had allowed 31 home runs in the period of regular season, which is the third-most in MLB. Instead of utilizing the skill of Quinn Priester, who went 13-3 with just a 3.32 ERA, the team stuck with Imanaga, and that decision became costly for the Cubs and the Brewers’ offense, which was ranked just 22nd in homers at the time of the regular season, suddenly became a slugging machine.

The fallout from Craig Counsell’s gamble has only enhanced the Cubs’ deeper issues. While pitching decisions have drawn the initial fire, the truth is the team has been just as undone by their inability to hit when it matters most. That reality was highlighted effectively by their own rising star.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Identifies ‘Simple’ Fix as Cubs’ Bats Vanish

The Cubs’ offense has been completely flabbergasted through the first two games of the NLDS, dragging Milwaukee 16–6 on aggregate. The Brewers have gained 24 hits to Chicago’s 10 and stymied their bats over the final 15 batters of Game 2, despite using a bullpen game. In Game 1, all of the Cubs’ runs came from solo homers, and in Game 2, Seiya Suzuki’s three-run blast was the only offensive highlight. Moreover, their approach has been compromised badly, particularly in clutch spots where sustained rallies are mostly required.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, who was once in early MVP discussions but is now just 1-for-8 in the series, carried out a telling postgame remark about the franchise’s offensive miseries. “Hitting is hard. Putting runs up in big league games is hard,” Crow-Armstrong stated via Marquee Sports Network. “It’s not a surprise that they’re going out there, throwing their best arms, and all of those guys seem locked in. It’s just our job to execute. I know I haven’t done that. I think it’s a pretty simple idea here. We go put more balls in play, we’ll probably score more runs.”

His words cut to the heart of the problem. The Brewers have shone all year by simply putting the ball in play, ranking among baseball’s best in infield hits despite going without elite slugging. Chicago, meanwhile, has struck out 23 times in just two games, often killing rallies before they could start. It is easier said than done, but with their backs against the wall, the Cubs have no choice but to acquire a more contact-oriented approach if they want any hope of nurturing the series.