Shota Imanaga is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Throwing Philosopher," he previously played for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 2016 to 2023. Imanaga is a two-time NPB All-Star and led the Central League in strikeouts in 2023 before transitioning to MLB.
He is notable for his successful debut season with the Cubs, during which he was named an All-Star. His performance solidified his reputation as a significant international talent and a key contributor to his team's pitching rotation.
Imanaga has been in the news recently for his contract decision. In November 2025, multiple sports news outlets reported that he accepted a one-year qualifying offer to remain with the Chicago Cubs for the upcoming season. This move provides stability for the Cubs' pitching staff as they prepare for the new season.
Latest related news
- Shota Imanaga accepts his qualifying offer to stay with the Chicago Cubs, while Kyle Tucker rejects his - Chicago Tribune 2025-11-19 05:18 · Chicago Tribune
- Cubs, Starting Pitcher Shota Imanaga Agree to One-Year Deal - Sports Illustrated 2025-11-19 05:06 · Sports Illustrated
- Imanaga accepts qualifying offer to return to Cubs (source) - MLB.com 2025-11-19 05:00 · MLB.com
- Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga has made his decision on one-year qualifying offer | Cubs News - Marquee Sports Network 2025-11-19 04:59 · Marquee Sports Network
- Shota Imanaga News: Takes QO, stays with Cubs - RotoWire 2025-11-19 04:53 · RotoWire
- Cubs' free agent Shota Imanaga gets ESPN insider update after $57.75 million contract decision - Yahoo Sports 2025-11-19 02:00 · Yahoo Sports
- Cubs Predicted To Sign $187 Million Superstar Ace To Replace Shota Imanaga - Newsweek 2025-11-17 21:24 · Newsweek
- 3 internal replacements if Shota Imanaga declines the Cubs' qualifying offer - Cubbies Crib 2025-11-17 06:00 · Cubbies Crib
- Shota Imanaga receives $22.05 million qualifying offer - FantasyPros 2025-11-07 06:44 · FantasyPros
- Shota Imanaga hits free agency - FantasyPros 2025-11-04 22:26 · FantasyPros