As the calendar starts to turn and the weather gets warmer, the Chicago Cubs find themselves colder than their first April homestand. The offense cannot generate more than two or three runs a game at most. There are only a couple of arms in the bullpen that are trustworthy in keeping things calm. Simply put, we’re down bad.
Luckily, the Cubs get to give Shota Imanaga the ball every fifth day. Imanaga made the move from Japan to the MLB this offseason by signing his first deal with the Cubs. Since coming to Chicago, Imanaga has embraced everything the city offers and made it his own. His walkout song is Chelsea Dagger, the song the Chicago Blackhawks play when they score a goal. He’s interacted with fans on and off the field. In return, Chicago and the Cubs have claimed him right back.
It also helps that he has been absolutely unstoppable to begin his MLB career. Imanaga has a 5-0 record through his first nine starts, with a league-leading 0.84 earned run average and a 0.91 WHIP, which is also the fifth-best in baseball. He has been absolutely sensational, and he’s finally starting to get some national recognition for it.
On Thursday, Imanaga was invited to the Pat Mcaffey show to discuss his incredible start to his major league career. If you wonder if he would know how to deal with and interact with a character like Mcaffey, think again. He fits in just fine.
With the help of an interpreter, Pat Mcaffey asked Shota Imanaga on Thursday which pitch he’d throw to him if he were up to bat and how far he thinks Mcaffey would be able to hit it. Imanaga responded by saying he would throw Mcaffey a fastball near his face to push him off the plate. Mcaffey said he’d charge the mound if he had to.
This is just the kind of player Imanaga proves to be time and time again. He is focused and zoned in on his craft when it’s time to take the field. He shows his emotion and proves his contributions to the team are what he cares about the most. But when he has the chance, he will turn into one of the most enjoyable humans on the face of the earth.
Shota Imanaga never answered how far Mcaffey would hit a ball he pitched to him, but we all know the answer. Mcaffey struck out like 85 others against Imanaga this season. Chicago as a whole and the Cubs as an organization are lucky to have Imanaga as an integral part of things.
