Shota Imanaga Articles - Page 2

Acquiring superstars and then shipping them back out of town not long after has become a common strategy for the San Diego Padres in recent years. Juan Soto, Josh Hader, Seth Lugo and Blake Snell all fit the bill in that regard. The Padres are and have been stacked with star players for a while […]

When the Los Angeles Dodgers take center stage, the bar is usually set to exceedingly high levels. That was the case when the 2024 World Series champions battled the Chicago Cubs in Japan for MLB’s Tokyo Series on March 18-19, and they undeniably delivered. In addition to starting the 2025 regular season 2-0, LA helped […]

Jokes throughout spring training circled Shota Imanaga and the Chicago Cubs about starting in Tokyo to open the season. Luckily, that wish came to fruition on Tuesday. During the season opener, Imanaga threw four hitless innings before being removed after 69 pitches. He gave up four walks but challenged the Los Angeles Dodgers. His movement […]

With Opening Day fast approaching, the Chicago Cubs are facing a critical decision regarding their starting rotation. While the team boasts a strong offense and one of the best defensive units in baseball, questions about the rotation’s depth and consistency have resurfaced. At the center of these concerns is Justin Steele. The 29-year-old left-hander has […]

As the Chicago Cubs enter the 2025 MLB season, the team is looking to shake off recent years of mediocrity and return to the postseason. After making a splash by acquiring star outfielder Kyle Tucker, the Cubs have set themselves up as contenders in the National League Central. However, questions remain about their roster construction, […]

The Chicago Cubs will be opening their 2025 season in the Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. As they prepare to face the defending World Series champions, Chicago has named their Opening Day starter. Shota Imanaga has earned the call, the Cubs announced. Playing in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2016-2023, this will be a […]

The 2025 season is already here for the Chicago Cubs. The team’s pitchers and catchers have reported for spring training, as the team prepares for its’ slate of exhibition games before travelling to Japan at the end of the March. There, they will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tokyo Series. As Cubs manager […]

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is revealing some interesting information about a rival pitcher. Skenes said that after he showed his fastball grip to the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga, the hurler then went out and no-hit the Pirates. This is wild … Shota Imanaga asked Paul Skenes to show him his fastball grip. Imanaga no-hit the […]

Shota Imanaga’s rookie MLB season with the Chicago Cubs has been a success. The 31-year-old Imanaga made the All-Star team and has a 3.03 ERA across 166.1 innings. He has remained effective down the home stretch of the season, pitching seven innings in four of his nine starts since the calendar flipped to August. Although […]

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs faced off in a crucial matchup on Tuesday. Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and Cubs rookie sensation Shota Imanaga shared a touching moment as they went head-to-head against each other. Ohtani and Imanaga, two of the best Japanese players in baseball history, faced each other to lead off […]

On Wednesday night, the Chicago Cubs laid waste to the Pittsburgh Pirates, perhaps in retaliation over their heartbreaking 5-3 defeat on Monday and their hapless performance in a 5-0 loss on Tuesday. The Cubs got their offense going rather quickly en route to a 12-0 win over the Pirates. But it was the Cubs’ pitching […]

The Chicago Cubs have played their way into the postseason picture as the team has heated up over the second half of the season. On Wednesday the Cubs spun a combined no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rookie sensation Shota Imanaga tossed seven scoreless frames before Chicago manager Craig Counsell made the difficult decision to pull […]

The Chicago Cubs made history in their 12-0 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. On the back of seven innings from rookie ace Shota Imanaga, the Cubs bullpen was able to clinch the combined no-hitter, the 18th no-hitter in Cubs franchise history. Imanaga did the bulk of the work for the Cubs on the […]

Japanese stars Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga helped the Chicago Cubs make MLB history Saturday while also doing something Shohei Ohtani has never managed to do in one of his two-way starts. In a 14-2 win over the hapless Miami Marlins, Suzuki recorded two home runs and a triple as Imanaga earned the win, making […]

While the Chicago Cubs are struggling to stay in the playoff race, they have undoubtedly found a star in starting pitcher Shota Imanaga. His efforts have now put him on an exclusive list in Cubs franchise history. By being voted to the All-Star Game, Imanaga joined Sam Jones (1955) as the only Chicago rookie pitchers […]

Chicago Cubs ace Shota Imanaga pitched seven solid innings in his team’s 5-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals looked to make some noise in the seventh, putting runners on first and second with one out. But Imanaga retired Dylan Carlson on a flyball and struck out Brendan Donovan, preserving a 2-1 lead. […]

Today’s MLB slate on June 4, 2024, is packed with exciting matchups and intriguing strikeout props that promise to keep fans and bettors engaged. Let’s dive into some of the key games and pitchers to watch for high strikeout potential. Starting with the Los Angeles Dodgers facing the New York Yankees, Tyler Glasnow is a […]

The Chicago Cubs, entering their Wednesday night contest against division rival Milwaukee Brewers haven’t been playing their best ball as of late. They have lost seven out of their past 10 games, and it’s not like their slate is getting any easier, as they would be up against the current leader of the NL Central. […]

The Chicago Cubs are having a strong start to the 2024 season, and it is partially thanks to the efforts of first-year Major League pitcher Shota Imanaga. Imanaga has had a historical start to his Cubs tenure, but he is making news off the diamond as well. Imanaga joined the Pat McAfee Show to reveal […]

Heading into the WNBA season, the biggest story surrounding the Chicago Sky was their incoming rookies. Making the most of their first-round selections, the team took Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese as the third and seventh overall picks, respectively. Now, it looks like both women are getting accustomed to the Windy City. Cardoso and Reese […]

The Chicago Cubs are taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates and Shota Imanaga is putting on a show! He’s playing so well that Imanaga is proving to be one of the more dominant pitchers in the league right now. On Saturday, Imanaga pitched seven shutout innings against the Pirates. He now holds an impressive 0.84 ERA […]

The signing of Shota Imanaga has been a home run for the Chicago Cubs this season, and despite being defeated by the Atlanta Braves by the score of 2-0, Imanaga continued to impress with five shutout innings against one of the best lineups in the game. Imanaga’s start to the season with the Cubs has […]

We talk a lot as baseball fans about the best pitchers in the game. The MLB  is full of aces in 2024 and debates surrounding the Cy Young and Reliever of the Year awards are always prominent. But sometimes, it’s fun to separate the art from the artist. That’s why today, we’re taking a look […]

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga has had a great start in his first season in MLB, and after throwing seven shutout innings against the New York Mets at Citi Field on Wednesday in a 1-0 win, he had a hilarious response when asked what it was like pitching in New York for the first […]

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday. Suzuki is dealing with a right oblique strain, an injury he’s dealt with in the past. Now, Cubs manager Craig Counsell has given an update on Suzuki, per Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune: “Seiya Suzuki (right oblique strain) is sidelined “in the four-week […]

The Chicago Cubs made a major free agent splash when they signed Japanese star Shota Imanaga in free agency. However, the Cubs aren’t looking to close up shop even after adding Imanaga to their roster. The left-hander signed a four-year, $53 million contract with an option that can boost it to $80 million in value. […]

Shota Imanaga really knows how to get on the good side of Chicago Cubs fans. That much is clear during his introductory press conference on Friday. Imanaga used to wear no. 21 in Japan where he played for eight seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. However, with the Cubs, he opted to wear no. 18. […]

Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga was officially introduced as a member of the Chicago Cubs on Friday, and the new star in Windy City couldn’t have started off things any better. In a message sure to hype up Chicago fans, Imanaga began his presser in English as he vowed to bring back winning in the Cubs […]

The Chicago Cubs and pitcher Shota Imanaga are close to agreeing to a contract. The final details of the deal were uncertain once initially reported, however. Jon Heyman of the New York Post later provided the “complicated” deals of the contract. “Shota Imanaga Cubs deal is complicated and includes player/team options and escalators that could […]

Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga has agreed to a “tentative contract” with the Chicago Cubs, just days before the Japanese pitcher’s posting date was set to expire. Now, detail are emerging on Imanaga’s deal with the Cubs. The deal is for multiple years in the range of $15 million annually, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network: […]

The Chicago Cubs entered MLB free agency as an expected player but have instead fallen under the radar thus far this winter. That changes now. Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga has agreed to a “tentative contract” with Chicago, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale. Pending a Wednesday physical, the Nippon Professional Baseball two-time All-Star is the […]

Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga’s deadline to sign with a MLB team is approaching in the coming days, and there are five suitors that remain, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants seem to be looking elsewhere, while the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox […]

Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga’s posting period expires on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET, so if he plans to make the move to Major League Baseball, he needs to sign with a team prior to that deadline. The San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels have been tabbed by sources as […]

The race for Shota Imanaga is heating up as the Japanese pitcher is expected to sign with an MLB team by the end of next week. The 30-year-old has reportedly narrowed down his list of teams to four, none of which reached the postseason in 2023. Sources tell Jim Bowden that the Boston Red Sox, […]

At first glance, it seemed like the stars had aligned for Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery in their respective forays into free agency. Snell had one of his best seasons as a professional in 2023 with the San Diego Padres, even winning NL Cy Young award honors for his excellent play. Meanwhile, Montgomery was part […]

Shōta Imanaga’s rise to the top of MLB’s international free agent list comes as no surprise following his winning performance in the WBC Gold Medal Game, which has not gone unnoticed by major clubs. The Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox and Cubs are the leading interested parties, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi highlighted on Tuesday’s Hot Stove […]

Every year in the MLB, there are several international free agents that get posted from their current club so that they can make the move to the MLB. This offseason, there are set to be quite a few big stars coming to the MLB from Japan, and one of the top names that’s part of […]