CHICAGO — Last year, Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga wowed fans when he took the mound at Wrigley Field for Chicago’s home opener before going on to have a stellar season — Imanaga’s first in the majors.
The pitcher, also known as the “Throwing Philosopher,” went 15-3 for the Cubs in 2024, racking up 174 strikeouts to go along with a 2.91 ERA. The 31-year-old had previously played professionally in Japan from 2016 to 2023.
In the States, Imanaga soon became a fan favorite not only for how well he pitched, but also for his charisma, sense of humor, and his long, flowing hair.
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“You’re saying I have the best hair?” a laughing Imanaga told NBC News through a translator when asked about his free-flowing locks.
“My teammates, if I’m drying my hair, if I’m combing my hair, they compliment me, telling me I have beautiful hair,” Imanaga said. “But my mom and my friends are like, it’s probably time to cut your hair.”
It’s not only the hair that’s helped Imanaga endear himself to the Wrigley faithful. During his rookie year, the pitcher decided on “Chelsea Dagger” as his walk-up song, a tune more famously known in Chicago as the goal song for the NHL’s Blackhawks, dating back well over a decade to the hockey team’s heyday.
“When I first got to the Cubs, I think a lot of the fans were, ‘Who is this pitcher?’” Imanaga said. “And so for me, it was really important to get acclimated with the team, with the fans. What was important was to pick something that all the Chicago fans love.”
Imanaga’s countryman, outfielder Seiya Suzuki, employs a similar ethos when asked about his favorite ballpark food, saying he would have to go with hot dogs, “especially” considering the team he plays for.
Suzuki joined the Cubs in 2022 after a nine-year career in Japan, and he and Imanaga have since played key roles in helping turn around the team’s fortunes. After back-to-back losing seasons, Chicago posted two winning records in each of the last two years.
Suzuki and Imanaga have become global stars in the process and are part of a growing Japanese presence in Major League Baseball. In April, the Cubs opened the season in Tokyo against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who feature three Japanese-born players in Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
“When I was younger, I watched baseball in the U.S., and I thought it was really cool,” Suzuki said. “So if when I’m playing and the fans in Japan, even if it’s one extra person gets to watch, and they want to come to the U.S. to enjoy baseball or something like that, I think that’d be great.”
While both Suzuki and Imanaga have pushed the right buttons with their home fans, Chicago’s current objective is to get Imanaga back on the mound. He hasn’t started a game since May 4, when he left a start against the Brewers with a hamstring injury.
The Cubs placed Imanaga, whose jersey is the team’s most popular this season, on the 15-day injured list the next day. He’s currently progressing toward a return in early June, ramping up his rehab with some bullpen work.
Chicago is currently first in the NL Central.
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