Cubs’ Shota Imanaga Destined for MLB Success? Japanese Ace’s North Side Stardom in Doubt Following Outstanding First Impression

The Chicago Cubs have made a splash in the offseason by signing Shota Imanaga, a star pitcher from Japan who has dominated the Nippon Professional Baseball League for years. Imanaga, who signed a 4-year, $53 million deal with the Cubs, impressed the fans and the media with his charisma and confidence at his introductory press conference. He even sang a few lines of “Go Cubs Go,” the team’s anthem, to show his enthusiasm for joining the franchise.

But is he ready to face the challenge of pitching in Major League Baseball, where the hitters are more powerful, the stadiums are bigger, and the pressure is higher?

Shota Imanaga: The Cubs’ new ace

According to The Athletic, Imanaga himself admitted to the media that he has a lot to learn and improve, but he also said that he believes in his potential and his ability to do what he does best.

He has a lot of credentials to back up his self-belief. He has over 1,000 innings of experience in the NPB, where he posted a career ERA of 2.64 and a WHIP of 1.10. The “Pitching Philosopher” also won a gold medal with Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he out-dueled Team USA in the final. He has a repertoire of pitches that include a fastball that can touch 95 mph, a sharp slider, a curveball, and a changeup.

The Cubs are hoping that Imanaga can be their new ace, especially after they missed the playoffs by one game last season. They are also hoping that he can bring some joy to Wrigleyville, which has not seen a World Series title since 2016.

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Shota Imanaga seems to have the talent, attitude, and personality to succeed in Chicago. The only question is: can he deliver on the mound? What are the Cubbies saying?

Cubs rave about Imanaga’s debut: ‘He’s in right away’

Shota Imanaga, the Japanese lefty who signed a four-year deal with the Chicago Cubs this offseason, made a splash in his introductory news conference on January 12th. The 28-year-old pitcher, nicknamed “The Pitching Philosopher” for his cerebral approach, surprised everyone by singing “Go Cubs Go” and delivering a brief statement in English.

“I see a skilled pitcher and a skilled thinker on the mound, so adjustments are going to be fairly easy for him,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told the reporters. “He already knows that he’s going to have to do some things maybe a little differently, but he’s open to it. He’s aware of it.”

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Imanaga’s new teammates were also impressed by his charisma and confidence. “It was electric,” outfielder Ian Happ said. “I think Dansby (Swanson) said he’s already cooler than Seiya.” Swanson was referring to Seiya Suzuki, the Japanese slugger who joined the Cubbies back in 2022. “He’s in right away,” fellow pitcher Kyle Hendricks stated, “he ingrained himself already with the Cubs fans.”

Imanaga, who chose No. 18 to honor former Cubs legend Ben Zobrist, said his biggest motivation was to improve himself and challenge the best hitters in the world. He posted a 2.17 ERA and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings in six seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan. Although that leaves little room to doubt his abilities, it is yet to be seen how he fares under the global pressure of MLB.