Long hair and hot dogs: Meet the Japanese baseball stars making their mark on the Cubs
CHICAGO — Last year, Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga wowed fans when he took the mound at Wrigley Field for Chicago's home opener before going on to have a stellar season — Imanaga's first in the majors.
The pitcher, also known as the 'Throwing Philosopher,' went 15-3 for the Cubs in 2024, racking up 174 strikeouts to go along with a 2.91 ERA. The 31-year-old had previously played professionally in Japan from 2016 to 2023.
Advertisement
In the States, Imanaga soon became a fan favorite not only for how well he pitched, but also for his charisma, sense of humor, and his long, flowing hair.
'You're saying I have the best hair?' a laughing Imanaga told NBC News through a translator when asked about his free-flowing locks.
'My teammates, if I'm drying my hair, if I'm combing my hair, they compliment me, telling me I have beautiful hair,' Imanaga said. 'But my mom and my friends are like, it's probably time to cut your hair.'
It's not only the hair that's helped Imanaga endear himself to the Wrigley faithful. During his rookie year, the pitcher decided on 'Chelsea Dagger' as his walk-up song, a tune more famously known in Chicago as the goal song for the NHL's Blackhawks, dating back well over a decade to the hockey team's heyday.
Advertisement
'When I first got to the Cubs, I think a lot of the fans were, 'Who is this pitcher?'' Imanaga said. 'And so for me, it was really important to get acclimated with the team, with the fans. What was important was to pick something that all the Chicago fans love.'
Imanaga's countryman, outfielder Seiya Suzuki, employs a similar ethos when asked about his favorite ballpark food, saying he would have to go with hot dogs, 'especially' considering the team he plays for.
Suzuki joined the Cubs in 2022 after a nine-year career in Japan, and he and Imanaga have since played key roles in helping turn around the team's fortunes. After back-to-back losing seasons, Chicago posted two winning records in each of the last two years.
Suzuki and Imanaga have become global stars in the process and are part of a growing Japanese presence in Major League Baseball. In April, the Cubs opened the season in Tokyo against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who feature three Japanese-born players in Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
Advertisement
'When I was younger, I watched baseball in the U.S., and I thought it was really cool,' Suzuki said. 'So if when I'm playing and the fans in Japan, even if it's one extra person gets to watch, and they want to come to the U.S. to enjoy baseball or something like that, I think that'd be great.'
While both Suzuki and Imanaga have pushed the right buttons with their home fans, Chicago's current objective is to get Imanaga back on the mound. He hasn't started a game since May 4, when he left a start against the Brewers with a hamstring injury.
The Cubs placed Imanaga, whose jersey is the team's most popular this season, on the 15-day injured list the next day. He's currently progressing toward a return in early June, ramping up his rehab with some bullpen work.
Chicago is currently first in the NL Central.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lynn Hamilton, ‘Sanford and Son' and ‘The Waltons' Actress, Dies at 95
Lynn Hamilton, who played Redd Foxx's girlfriend Donna on 'Sandford and Son' and Miss Verdie on 'The Waltons,' died Thursday of natural causes at her home in Chicago. She was 95. Hamilton also played Vivian Potter on 'Generations' from 1989 to 1991. Her additional credits included 'Designing Women,' 'Roots: The Next Generation,' '227' and 'The Practice.' Hamilton's first appearance on 'Sandford and Son' was in 1972 when she played a landlady who chastised Demond Wilson's Lamont Sanford after he argued with his father, Fred Sanford, and then got his own place. Producers of the series decided to upgrade the role, and Hamilton became Fred's girlfriend. Alzenia Lynn Hamilton was born April 25, 1930, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. She and her family moved to Chicago when Hamilton was young, and she first began acting with a South Side theater company. A 1956 move to New York City opened up opportunities and Hamilton was in four Broadway plays. She joined the Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1966 before moving to Los Angeles. Hamilton was married to Frank Jenkins from 1964 until his death in 2014. The Hollywood Reporter first reported news of her death. The post Lynn Hamilton, 'Sanford and Son' and 'The Waltons' Actress, Dies at 95 appeared first on TheWrap.
NBC Sports
36 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Blackhawks acquire Andre Burakovsky from Kraken for fellow forward Joe Veleno
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken on Saturday in exchange for fellow forward Joe Veleno. Chicago also placed defenseman T.J. Brodie on unconditional waivers for purposes of buying out his contract. Burakovsky, 30, had 10 goals and 27 assists in 79 games with Seattle last season. A Stanley Cup champion with Washington in 2018 and Colorado in 2022, he has 153 goals and 234 assists in 696 regular-season games over 11 NHL seasons. The acquisition of Burakovsky gives Chicago some additional size and scoring, and the trade creates more flexibility for Seattle with the salary cap. The 6-foot-3 Burakovsky was selected by Washington with the No. 23 pick in the 2013 draft. He signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with Seattle in July 2022. Veleno, 25, was traded from Detroit to Chicago in March. He finished with eight goals and nine assists in 74 games last season. The 6-1 Veleno has 38 goals and 43 assists in 306 career regular-season games. He has a cap hit of $2.275 million for next season in the final year of his contract. Brodie, 35, agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million contract with Chicago last summer. He had two goals and eight assists in 54 games last season.
Fox News
41 minutes ago
- Fox News
Angel Reese has career low in rebounds as Mercury crush struggling Sky in dominant display
The Phoneix Mercury demolished the Chicago Sky in a 107-86 win Saturday afternoon at Wintrust Arena. Sky forward Angel Reese struggled in the loss with nine points and a career-low two rebounds. Reese, normally tenacious on the boards with an average of 11 rebounds, was a non-factor on the glass in the blowout loss. Reese was held to just one shot attempt in the loss. As a team, the Sky had just 22 rebounds. The Sky fell to 3-9 with the loss and have lost five of their last six games. Kamilla Cardoso and Michaela Onyenwere led the Sky with 17 points apiece. The Mercury set a franchise record for most 3-pointers made in a game with 17. Sami Whitcomb hit five of those 17 3-pointers and finished with 17 points in the win. Six different Phoenix players hit at least two 3-pointers, tying the WNBA single-game record. Phoenix made 35 of 68 shots from the field, 17 of 35 from 3-point range and 20 of 24 from the free-throw line and finished with 25 assists. The Mercury's win was their fifth straight, improving them to 11-4 on the season. Satou Sabally scored 15 points for the Mercury, and Alyssa Thomas had 11 points and eight assists. Brown and Kitija Laksa added 11 points apiece. The Mercury's next game is against the New York Liberty Friday, while the Sky will look to rebound from their loss against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
