Shota Imanaga
Shota Imanaga | |||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Imanaga with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars | |||||||||||||||||||||
Chicago Cubs – No. 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Pitcher | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born: Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan | September 1, 1993|||||||||||||||||||||
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |||||||||||||||||||||
Professional debut | |||||||||||||||||||||
NPB: March 29, 2016, for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars | |||||||||||||||||||||
MLB: April 1, 2024, for the Chicago Cubs | |||||||||||||||||||||
NPB statistics (through 2023 season) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 64–50 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 3.18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 1,021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
MLB statistics (through August 24, 2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 10−3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 3.08 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 140 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
NPB
MLB | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Shōta Imanaga (今永 昇太, Imanaga Shōta, born September 1, 1993), nicknamed "The Throwing Philosopher", and "Mike Imanaga II", is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars from 2016 to 2023. Imanaga is a two-time NPB All-Star and he led the Central League in strikeouts in 2023 before signing with the Cubs during the 2023–24 offseason. In his first season as a Cub, Imanaga was an All-Star.
Career
[edit]Yokohama DeNA BayStars
[edit]The Yokohama DeNA BayStars selected Imanaga in the first round of the 2015 NPB draft out of Komazawa University.[1]
Imanaga signed with the Canberra Cavalry of the Australian Baseball League to play weeks 2–7 of the 2018–19 Australian Baseball League season[2] In his six starts for the Cavalry, he posted a 4–0 win–loss record with a league-best 0.51 earned run average (ERA) over 35 innings pitched with 57 strikeouts to one walk. By meeting the statistical recognition minimum (0.8IP per team game), Imanaga broke the league records for WHIP (0.429), H/9 (3.6), BB/9 (0.3) and second-best ERA behind Ryan Searle. Following his ABL stint, Imanaga posted a 13–7 2.91 ERA, 2019 Nippon Professional Baseball season, finishing second in wins and strikeouts only behind Shun Yamaguchi in the Central League.
On June 7, 2022, Imanaga pitched a no-hitter against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. [3] He struck out nine and allowed one walk over 117 pitches. [4]
On September 6, 2023, Yokohama announced that they would post Imanaga to Major League Baseball (MLB) following the 2023 season.[5]
Chicago Cubs
[edit]On January 11, 2024, Imanaga signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Chicago Cubs that also contained a fifth-year option.[6] The Cubs also had to pay $9.825 million to the Bay Stars in the form of a release fee.[7]
Imanaga pitched six shutout innings allowing just two hits with nine strikeouts in his first start for the Cubs on April 1, 2024.[8] Through his first nine MLB starts, Imanaga compiled a 5-0 record with a then-league-leading 0.84 ERA.[9][10]
International career
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Shota_Imanaga_in_2023_WBC.jpg/220px-Shota_Imanaga_in_2023_WBC.jpg)
Imanaga represented the Japan national baseball team in the 2019 exhibition games against Mexico and 2019 WBSC Premier12.[11][12]
Imanaga played for the Japanese national team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and started the championship game in which Japan won 3–2.[13]
Playing style
[edit]Imanaga is a 5 ft 10 in, 175 lb left-handed pitcher throwing from a three-quarters arm angle.[14][15] He has a fastball averaging nearly 92 mph (tops out at 96 mph[16]),[17][18] changeup, curveball and slider in his repertoire.[19] He is not an overpowering hurler but finds success with his command and changeup.[20]
Personal
[edit]When asked by a reporter about receiving the nickname "The Throwing Philosopher," Imanaga replied (through an interpreter) "I know that I have a unique personality. If I'm trying to say a normal thing, it comes out a little sophisticated."[21] Prior to starting his MLB career, he said at a press conference (through an interpreter), "I am by no means a finished product and there is a lot of me to learn, and there is a lot for me to study day-in and day-out. And I believe that, somehow, my approach in that way earned me the nickname."[22]
When asked how he felt pitching in New York for the first time, Imanaga replied (through an interpreter) "The view from the hotel, I recognize it from Spider-Man. So I was just like, oh, this is where Spider-Man was."[23][24]
Imanaga nicknamed himself "Mike" because of the difficulty baristas at Starbucks had pronouncing his name. The nameplate on his locker was changed to read "Mike Imanaga II"; the "II", according to Imanaga, "just sounds cool".[25][26]
References
[edit]- ^ "2015年 新人選手選択会議(ドラフト会議) 横浜DeNAベイスターズ 選択選手一覧". NPB.jp 日本野球機構 (in Japanese).
- ^ "Japanese Major League Players Join the Cavalry". October 13, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
- ^ "BayStars Shota Imanaga hurls no-hitter as Fighters lose five straight". June 8, 2022.
- ^ Armstrong, Jim (June 7, 2022). "BayStars Lefty Shota Imanaga Tosses a No-Hitter Against the Fighters". JAPANforward. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ "MLB Rumors: Shōta Imanaga to Be Posted in Free Agency; Won Gold with Japan at WBC". syndication.bleacherreport.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ Bastain, Jordan (January 11, 2024). "Cubs finalize 4-year deal with Japanese lefty Imanaga". MLB.com. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ "Sources: Cubs, lefty Shota Imanaga finalizing 4-year, $53M deal". ABC News. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ Farkas, Brady (April 2, 2024). "Japanese Hurler Makes Rare Team History in Chicago Cubs Debut". Fastball. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ "Stats". MLB.com. MLB. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "MLB Pitching All MLB Stat Leaders, 2024 Regular Season". ESPN. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019「日本 vs メキシコ」に出場するメンバー28名が決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
- ^ "「ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019」出場選手決定について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ "Japan starting Imanaga over Ohtani or Darvish in WBC final vs. United States". Sportsnet.ca. March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
- ^ "Shota Imanaga Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20190714080057/https://www.nhk.or.jp/kitakyushu-blog/100/288713.html [bare URL]
- ^ "【侍ジャパン】第2先発・今永昇太が3回1失点、毎回の3奪三振と好投 最速154キロを計測". スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). March 10, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ "BayStars southpaw Shota Imanaga drawing interest from MLB teams". The Japan Times. November 13, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
- ^ "Shota Imanaga: To be posted this offseason". CBSSports.com. October 9, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ Connon, Sam (September 6, 2023). "Japanese Pitcher Shōta Imanaga Will Reportedly Be Posted to MLB Teams This Offseason". Fastball. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ "Yokohama DeNa Baystars To Post Shota Imanaga". MLB Trade Rumors. September 6, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ Friedman, Rob [@PitchingNinja] (May 2, 2024). "Shōta Imanaga on his nickmame "The Throwing Philosopher." "I know that I have a unique personality. Even if I'm trying to say a normal thing, it comes out a little sophisticated." 🤣 He's a gem" (Tweet). Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ @CHGO_Cubs (January 12, 2024). "Through his translator, Shōta gives his reasoning behind the nickname "The Throwing Philosopher."" (Tweet). Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Lennon, David [@DPLennon] (May 1, 2024). "Shota Imanaga was asked what was it like pitching in New York for the first time. His response (via interpreter) "The view from the hotel, I recognize it from Spider-Man. So I was just like, oh, this is where Spider-Man was."" (Tweet). Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Neveau, James (May 2, 2024). "Shota Imanaga shares hilarious first reaction to pitching in New York". NBC Sports Chicago. Archived from the original on May 11, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ Taylor, Ryan (June 14, 2024). "Why Shōta Imanaga's locker has name Mike Imanaga II on it". NBC Sports Chicago. Archived from the original on June 14, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ @TalkinBaseball_ (June 15, 2024). "Shota Imanaga has "Mike Imanaga II" on his locker because whenever he goes to Starbucks, they can never pronounce Shota correctly. So now all his teammates nickname him Mike" (Tweet). Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- NPB.com
- 1993 births
- Living people
- Baseball people from Kitakyushu
- Canberra Cavalry players
- Chicago Cubs players
- Komazawa University alumni
- Japanese expatriate baseball players in Australia
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Major League Baseball players from Japan
- Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers
- Yokohama DeNA BayStars players
- 2019 WBSC Premier12 players
- 2023 World Baseball Classic players