How Shota's unique personality won over fans, teammates instantly

A version of this story ran during All-Star Week in July. It was updated as part of MLB.com’s Players’ Weekend coverage in August. Imanaga finished the season 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts in his rookie season for the Cubs.

CHICAGO -- During one of the Cubs’ morning meetings with the pitchers in Spring Training, the topic of talking to umpires came up. They were discussing past situations and potential scenarios and going over how to best handle those types of moments in a game.

Kyle Hendricks wondered if Shota Imanaga understood the conversation.

“His response immediately was, 'I am a gentleman,’” Hendricks said. “Everybody died laughing. We cracked up. He was fully in tune. That was probably the first time it kind of opened my eyes to his personality.”

Imanaga’s abilities on a mound are what led him to the National League All-Star team in this standout rookie campaign, but his instant connection with Cubs fans and teammates has also been a major part of his story. The transition from Japan to the United States and MLB can be daunting, but Imanaga has made it look easy.

It has helped that Imanaga is not a rookie in the true sense. This is a 30-year-old pitcher who picked up the win for Japan in the gold-medal game in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and then led Nippon Professional Baseball in strikeouts last year. He was a tested ace for Yokohoma who was ready for the challenge in Chicago.

“Playing at this level will definitely expose you as a player, but also a person and emotionally,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “He’s just very well-equipped to handle whatever this sport happens to throw his way. His personality is a big part of why he’s been able to have success making a really challenging transition.”

Imanaga offered the first glimpse of what was to come at Cubs Convention in January.

During his introductory press conference, Imanaga recited lines from “Go Cubs, Go,” which blares at Wrigley Field after each home win. The pitcher won over Cubs fans immediately. It was a fun moment to begin his career with the team that just handed him a four-year, $53 million contract, but it was also the product of hours of preparation.

“I thought that was the perfect example of who he is,” Cubs first baseman Michael Busch said. “He cares about the organization. He just loves the game of baseball. But he didn’t just show up to that podium and do that out of nothing. He did research and studied.”

Since that introduction, Imanaga has continued to build a bond with Cubs fans. He has especially been entertained by the rowdy crowds that pack the bleachers.

“Going out to the bullpen, the left-field bleachers, they're always cheering me on,” Imanaga said via his interpreter, Edwin Stanberry. “It doesn't matter if it was a good outing or a bad outing before. Every single time I go out there, it doesn't matter if I did well or not, they continuously cheer. And for me, that's what has amazed me the most.”

During one of those pregame treks, Imanaga could not help but spot the six friends who showed up on a brisk April day with “S-H-O-T-A-!” painted on their bare chests. The pitcher loved it and teamed with a local T-shirt shop Obvious Shirts to create tees with the letters and organized a meet-and-greet at Wrigley Field in May.

Imanaga presented each fan with the shirt and then had Stanberry deliver a message.

“He says he’s not saying that you guys have to wear them,” said Imanaga’s interpreter. “If you want to cheer him on with no clothes, that’s fine.”

The Cubs lefty chose “Chelsea Dagger” -- the goal song for the Chicago Blackhawks -- as his initial warm-up music because he knew fans would sing along to the high-energy riff. There was also an outing in July when “Be Like Mike” (the famous Gatorade jingle for Michael Jordan) played as he got ready to pitch.

The joke behind the homage to MJ is that Imanaga has also used “Mike” as his name to make things easier on local baristas when he orders his daily coffee. Imanaga’s name plate at his locker now reads “Mike Imanaga.”

On a recent trip to the ballpark, the pitcher actually picked up two iced coffees. He gave one to Cubs fan Sam Bernero, who can often be spotted by Wrigley Field snapping photos as players arrive and sharing them to social media.

“Getting connected with everybody, I think, is very important,” Imanaga said. “Meeting the fans, talking to them -- I think from just kind of analyzing myself -- I think it's just important to connect with them. Building that connection, I enjoy it, and hopefully they enjoy it as well.”

Imanaga quickly won over his teammates, too.

There was a bus ride from an airport early in the season during which it was Imanaga’s turn to stand up, microphone in hand and field questions from his teammates. At one point, Imanaga began singing a few lines from Busch’s country walk-up song.

“That was the moment for me where I was like, ‘This guy is just fully himself,’” Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “He’s funny and charismatic and just so authentic.”

During Spring Training, Imanaga saw how a few of his teammates liked to toss a football around on the agility field at the Cubs’ complex. He made the trek to a local Target, bought a football of his own and began joining the group.

Downtime in the dugout has also been an avenue for Imanaga to show off his sense of humor. Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon said he likes to jokingly yell, “Stinks!” from the bench after an opposing batter’s name is announced.

“Shota has started saying, ‘Stinks!’ with me,” Taillon said with a laugh. “He’ll be like, ‘Why does this guy stink?’ I’m like, ‘No, no, he’s awesome. He’s really good.’ But that banter, he wants to be a part of it. He wants to talk smack with the boys.”

Stanberry has played a key role in helping Imanaga show off his light-hearted personality.

“There's times, when I tell a joke and Edwin says it, and then [people] laugh,” Imanaga said. “For me, it's been interesting. I've been able to learn English through Edwin and the words he says. And so I'm glad that my humor and my jokes are getting to people over here.”

At the same time, Imanaga has displayed discipline, intelligence and curiosity in how he prepares behind the scenes. Taillon pointed to how the lefty has leaned on the entirety of the Cubs’ staff and players for input and guidance, as opposed to arriving with a rigid routine based on his success overseas.

That has helped him go 9-2 with a 3.16 ERA in his first 22 starts, piling up 131 strikeouts against just 19 walks in 128 1/3 innings. Imanaga took home the NL Rookie of the Month Award for April and then set a record for the lowest ERA (0.84) for a pitcher’s first nine career starts.

“Obviously I was trying to fit in,” Imanaga said. “But the fact that everybody -- the support staff, my teammates -- just they were willing to accept me, I think that feeling was a lot bigger than my want to fit in. The environment of that, allowing me to fit in super easily, I think that helped a lot.”