Shota Imanaga really knows how to get on the good side of Chicago Cubs fans. That much is clear during his introductory press conference on Friday.
Imanaga used to wear no. 21 in Japan where he played for eight seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. However, with the Cubs, he opted to wear no. 18. When asked about the change in jersey number, the Japanese southpaw revealed that it’s because he’s inspired by former Chicago star Ben Zobrist.
According to Imanaga, he wants to be as impactful to the Cubs as Zobrist was during his time in Chicago that culminated in a World Series win.
“I chose no. 18, I was looking through Chicago and Cubs history, I saw that was the number that Ben Zobrist wore and I wanted to be the player he was too,” Imanaga said.
Ben Zobrist not only won the World Series with the Cubs in 2016, but he also actually led them to the title. That is why he was named the World Series MVP that year. With that said, Shota Imanaga certainly couldn’t have chosen anyone better.
Not to mention that Shota Imanaga is no longer the usual newcomer, as he’s already 30 years old and possesses plenty of experience in Japanese baseball. When Zobrist joined the Cubs in 2016, he’s also already 35 years old.
Imanaga certainly has the opportunity to do what Zobrist did with the Cubs, or potentially even more. The Japanese pitcher signed a four-year, $53 million deal with Chicago, though it could climb up to $80 million over five years. He figures to be an important piece for Chicago’s immediate future, especially as they look to return to the postseason and eventually title contention.
Cubs fans loving Shota Imanaga
Imanaga already went viral after his awesome opening message in his introductory presser, telling the Chicago supporters: “Hey Chicago, what do you say? Cubs are going to win today.”
With his Zobrist confession, the fans loved him even more. The reply section and quote-tweets of the Cubs’ video were filled with awesome reactions from the fan base, with many expressing how much they like their new pitcher.
“I was excited when the Cubs signed Imanaga, but now I’m just floored. He might be my favorite already!” a fan said. Another one commented, “I could not love him more for his choice!”
A third supporter shared, “I see he’s winning our hearts over already.”
It has yet to be seen if Imanaga can fulfill that goal. But when it comes to making himself a beloved Chicago figure like Zobrist, he’s off to a good start.
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