It’s not like the Cubs‘ Shota Imanaga got the “red-headed stepchild” treatment as he waited in the shadows for fellow Japanese megastar Yoshinobu Yamamoto to finalize his deal.
Not at all. Shota Imanaga wouldn’t have it any other way.
He was taught as a child to embrace Japanese cultural protocol. He extended respect to fellow countryman Yamamoto, allowing him to post first and later ink the first deal. Both Far-East stars reside a mere 200 miles apart.
The Yamamoto anticipation was buffet-style palatable with front offices and fanbases both jonesing for the 3-time Sawamura Award winner (Cy Young equivalent) and 3-time MVP in the Nippon Professional Baseball‘s (NPB) Pacific League.
Three consecutive years at that.
ERAs of 1.39, 1.68, and 1.21 while averaging 180 innings pitched. Over 26% of batters faced were K’d.
Intimidating as it all sounds, Imanaga quietly went the same route as Yamamoto, but with much less fanfare and hype.
A WBC Champion, Nice 23′ NPB, and a Shaky 24′ Spring for the Southpaw
Shota. Imanaga. Is. ELECTRIC.
Last night: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 15 K
He started the WBC final for Samurai Japan against Team USA.
He had the best stuff of ANY pitcher in the WBC according to @enosarris’s Stuff+. So underrated.
Although clearly a 2nd-tier pitcher in Japan compared to Yamamoto (then again, who wasn’t?), Shota Imanaga brought some cache of his own to America’s MLB.
In March 2023, the World Baseball Classic (WBC) was played, and Imanaga represented Japan as the deciding game starter. He picked up the win in a 3-2 victory over the USA to help Japan claim the Championship.
The middling 30-year-old Imanaga then had a very nice season in the NPB posting a 2.80 ERA and a career-best 29.2 K%/4.0 BB%. He led the league in Ks (Yamamoto 2nd) and has a lifetime 3.18 ERA in Japan.
Yamamoto eventually became a Los Angeles Dodger on December 27th, 2023 and Imanaga joined the Cubs on January 11th, 2024.
Once Spring Training broke, all eyes were on the Dodgers who shelled out over a billion dollars in contracts. Meanwhile, Shota had an up-and-down spring.
He was rocked for a couple of HRs and a 5.68 ERA, but struck out 25 batters in 12.2 innings. Imanaga flashed a cagey four-seam fastball and villainous splitter to raise hopes on the Northside.
The Cubs & Jed Hoyer Pull a Coup
Imanaga had interest from other teams but was almost always described as a plan-b for those who came up empty in the Yamamoto stakes.
Not only was Jed Hoyer and the Cubs FO able to swoop down like an owl on a field mouse at night, but they did it in an impressively nominal way.
Shota is guaranteed $53 million in the deal, by way of $9.2 million this season, $13.2 million next year, and options for both sides over the final three years of the contract.
In pulling off what is shaping up as the steal of the offseason, Hoyer also one-upped the hated division rival Cardinals and POBO John Mozeliak.
St. Louis chose to fill their coffers early on by signing Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn to contracts. Gibson will earn $12 million while Lynn pulls down $11 million. Both pitchers are on 1-year deals.
Not that either of those guys has performed poorly, but Imanaga’s combined fWAR is slightly higher than the Cardinals’ entire starting staff—combined.
On a Historical Clip
As a “rookie” who’ll turn 31 before the season is over—even with some quality seasons over in the NPB, Imanaga’s potential impact here in the major leagues was difficult to forecast.
Since most experts grade the NPB somewhere between Triple-A and Major League Baseball, there was reason to believe lefty Shota Imanaga could hold his own.
That said, nobody saw him dominating the best hitters in the world in this manner. Nobody.
Through 9 games, Imanaga is 5-0 with a .093 WHIP, 498 ERA+, 9.73 K/9, 1.51 BB/9, and a sick 0.84 ERA. The latter is historical.
Per The Athletic: Imanaga’s 0.84 ERA is the lowest of any starting pitcher (excluding openers) through nine career starts since 1913, when earned runs first became a stat.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is having a nice first several weeks as well, but his 128 ERA+ pales in comparison, as does his WAR numbers.
Yamamoto’s 1.0 fWAR and 0.7 bWAR lag far behind Imanaga’s 1.9 and 3.0, respectively.
Now with the schedule approaching two full months in, roles are reversed. Shota Imanaga has emerged from the shadow of his compatriot to dominate with a clear leg up in the early Cy Young Award race.
When assessing his overall performance, one thing is for sure: The emotional and entertaining Imanaga has been a savior for a depleted Cubs roster.
