Cubs’ Shota Imanaga: Mastering the Art of Defense Hidden in His Off-Speed Pitches!

Even tracing the long history of Major League Baseball, it’s rare to see a pitcher debut as impressively as this.

The Cubs’ Shota Imanaga (30) has been delivering outstanding pitching performances since the opening game.

“As of May 22nd, he has appeared in 9 games, pitching 53.2 innings with only 5 earned runs, boasting an incredible 0.84 ERA. He has not suffered a single loss, and his 58 strikeouts exceed his innings pitched, showcasing superhuman stats. His name has already begun to surface as a candidate for both Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award. While before the season, he was overshadowed by Yushin Yamamoto (25) of the Dodgers, who signed a record-breaking 12-year contract worth approximately 46.3 billion yen, now Imai is the main attraction.” (Sports Desk)

Standing at around 178cm tall and with a fastball averaging less than 150 km/h, Imai’s fastball spin is notable, leading many media outlets to attribute his success to his fastball. However, local journalists have a different opinion.

“Indeed, Imai’s four-seam fastball is top-notch. However, in the Majors, there are countless pitchers who throw fastballs exceeding 100 miles per hour (approximately 161 km/h). Yet, many of them have not achieved the desired results. The Major Leagues aren’t forgiving enough for one to excel with just a fastball.”