Yamamoto, Imanaga primed for Tokyo Series showdown

Two of Japan¡¯s most decorated pitchers will kick off the 2025 MLB season.

In the first game of the Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Cubs (6 a.m. ET Tuesday on FOX), Yoshinobu Yamamoto will toe the rubber for the Dodgers against Chicago¡¯s Shota Imanaga. Plenty of other Japanese stars will be on display too in the form of Los Angeles' Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki -- who will start the second game -- and Seiya Suzuki for the Cubs.

Here¡¯s a preview of the battle between Yamamoto and Imanaga.

Journey to the Majors

Yamamoto was one of the most sought-after pitchers that Japan has ever produced. The right-hander debuted for the NPB¡¯s Orix Buffaloes just after his 19th birthday in 2017 and proceeded to have a seven-year run of dominance. Across 967 2/3 innings, Yamamoto posted a minuscule 1.72 ERA while striking out 986 batters compared to just 216 walks.

The 2023 calendar year proved to be a pivotal year for Yamamoto. He flashed his brilliance for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, won his third straight Eiji Sawamura Award -- Japan¡¯s version of the Cy Young -- for the Buffaloes and was officially posted to MLB in November. A month later, Yamamoto signed a record-breaking 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers.

While Imanaga didn¡¯t quite match Yamamoto¡¯s excellence or hype before coming to the Majors, his success in Japan was nonetheless impressive. In eight seasons for the Yokohama DeNa Bay Stars, Imanaga had a 3.18 ERA and 1,021 strikeouts across 1,002 2/3 innings.

Like Yamamoto, Imanaga flashed his potential in the ¡®23 WBC for Japan, putting him on the radar for fans otherwise unfamiliar with his track record. He was officially posted later in the year and signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Cubs with a club option for a fifth season.

Each pitcher's debut season

While Yamamoto was expected to outproduce Imanaga in their first year, that¡¯s not how things played out in the regular season.

Imanaga dazzled with six shutout innings and nine strikeouts in his first start and didn¡¯t look back. The left-hander posted a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts, striking out 174 batters compared to just 28 walks in 173 1/3 innings. He also established a rookie record with a 0.84 ERA through his first nine career starts.

Imanaga was selected to his first All-Star Game, finished fourth in the National League¡¯s Rookie of the Year voting and fifth in Cy Young Award voting. Imanaga did so with his signature ¡°rising¡± low-90s four-seamer, excellent splitter and sweeper and flashing excellent command.

• Imanaga made all the right adjustments to excel in Majors

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was excellent when he was on the mound, but the righty missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury. That limited Yamamoto to just 18 starts but the numbers still pointed to a frontline starter when he was healthy.

Across 90 innings, Yamamoto posted a 3.00 ERA and struck out 105 batters compared to just 22 walks. The stuff and command were obvious, as Yamamoto sat at 95.5 mph on his four-seam fastball and showcased his devastating splitter and curveball combo to generate whiffs.

Yamamoto¡¯s October heroics

Imanaga¡¯s Cubs did not make the postseason, but Yamamoto and the Dodgers were about to embark on a run to a World Series title. With his injuries behind him -- Yamamoto returned on Sept. 10 -- he played a pivotal role in the Dodgers¡¯ title run.

After struggling in his first outing in Game 1 of the NLDS vs. the Padres (five runs in three innings), Yamamoto quickly bounced back with three solid outings in a row. In the winner-take-all Game 5 vs. San Diego, Yamamoto blanked the Padres over five innings and secured a win that sent the Dodgers to the NLCS.

In Game 4 of the NLCS vs. the Mets, Yamamoto struck out eight hitters and allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings. Yamamoto¡¯s best outing came on the biggest stage, however, when he allowed just one run in 6 1/3 innings in Game 2 of the World Series against the Yankees and put the Dodgers up 2-0 in the Fall Classic.

2025 outlook

What does Year 2 have in store for these two excellent Japanese starters?

Just like it was entering last season, Yamamoto projects as the better of the two starters. According to FanGraphs¡¯ ZIPS projections, Yamamoto is projected for 3.5 Wins Above Replacement, tied for the 11th-most among all starters. Imanaga is projected for 2.6 WAR, placing him among the top 40 projected starters.

For Yamamoto, his biggest question is whether he can stay healthy and avoid missing half of the season. If the right-hander produces similarly in 150-plus innings, he could garner some Cy Young Award consideration and potentially lead an elite Dodgers rotation.

For Imanaga, it¡¯s about replicating his 2024 season and producing like a frontline pitcher yet again for a Cubs team trying to return to the playoffs. While the projections see a step back from his excellent heights of ¡®24, he still profiles as a strong starter and one who will likely warrant All-Star consideration once again.