MLB ERA Standouts: The Path to a Historic Rookie Campaign for Cubs’ Pitcher Shota Imanaga
During the offseason, a number of prominent pitchers from Asia were signed, but none garnered as much attention as Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers made headlines by securing the services of the three-time Eiji Sawamura Award winner with a monumental 12-year, $325 million deal, marking the largest contract ever awarded to an MLB pitcher, especially noteworthy given that Yamamoto had yet to make his major league debut at the age of 25. With an impressive track record and high expectations, he was poised to become the standout among international signings.
Yamamoto has indeed performed well, but it’s surprising to note that he hasn’t been the most successful international signing thus far. That distinction belongs to Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga.
MLB ERA Standouts: The Path to a Historic Rookie Campaign for Cubs’ Pitcher Shota Imanaga
Despite lacking the accolades of Yamamoto from the Nippon Baseball League, Imanaga, five years older than his compatriot, and with a slightly slower fastball, has made an extraordinary impact in his MLB debut season, achieving not just standout performances but historic ones.
Sporting News delves into Imanaga’s remarkable start to the season and explores what it would take for his achievements to be officially recognized in the record books.
