The Chicago Cubs announced the signing of Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga this week.
The southpaw had been coveted by multiple organizations such as the Boston Red Sox and the San Francisco Giants.
In the end, the Cubs came out on top and secured the services of the talented lefty.
Imanaga was introduced to the world as a Cubs player on Friday, and may be a fan favorite already.
This happened during the introduction, via MLB:
Shōta Imanaga is going to fit right in at Wrigley Field. 😂 pic.twitter.com/pVTjXQbXqW
— MLB (@MLB) January 12, 2024
“Hey Chicago!” were his first words in English.
“What do you say?” he then said.
He saved the best for last, though: “Cubs gonna win today.”
People in attendance couldn’t help but laugh and clap their hands at his contagious personality and optimism.
Imanaga has completed an incredible career in his country’s NPB.
He has a 3.18 ERA in eight seasons there, with 1,021 strikeouts in 1,002.2 innings with the Yokohama BayStars.
In 2023, he was particularly dominant: he posted a very solid 2.80 ERA and struck out 174 hitters in 148 innings.
His control is impeccable, as he walked just 24 hitters.
However, he did allow 17 home runs and that might be a problem in a park that invites power.
Still, the Cubs don’t necessarily need him to replicate his numbers in Japan: they have Justin Steele as their ace.
If he can pitch around the mid-3.00s when it comes to ERA, the Cubs will likely be happy.
The tools are there for him to succeed if he can avoid the home runs.
His fastball is not incredibly hard, but it has elite carry thanks to his spin efficiency.
That allows him to strike out guys at a rate well above the league average.
Given his profile and fun personality, Imanaga could become a fan favorite.
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