"I would put Shohei Ohtani in every position" - Cubs' Shota Imanaga curates his All-time favorite Japanese team roster
Chicago Cubs' Rookie of the Year contender Shota Imanaga had a funny response when he was asked about his all-time favorite team with only Japanese players. The first name to come from Imanaga was of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani but with a hilarious twist.
Shota Imanaga has delivered more than expected in his first MLB season with the Cubs since signing a four-year, $53 million deal in the offseason on January 11, 2024.
While his compatriot, Shohei Ohtani, is renowned for his remarkable two-way ability, Imanaga was quick to mention that he would have Ohtani playing at every position on his all-time favorite team.
"I would put Shohei Ohtani at every position," Imanaga said though his interpreter in an Instagram post shared by batboysbaseball.
Following his cheeky response, Shota Imanaga named his all-time favorite Japanese players, mentioning some iconic names for each position.
Here is the list in full:
Kenji Johjima (catcher)
Yoshitomo Tsutsugo (first base)
Tadahito Iguchi ( second base)
Akinori Iwamura (third base)
Kazuo Matsui (SS)
Hideki Matsui (outfield)
Masataka Yoshida (outfield)
Seiya Suzuki (outfield)
Yu Darvish (pitcher)
Daisuke Matsuzaka (pitcher)
Hisashi Iwakuma (pitcher)
Shota Imanaga impressed in his latest outing
Chicago Cubs' offense has been on fire in August, helping the team to finish with a record of 18-8. But the rotation has played its part, led by rookie ace Shota Imanaga.
Imanaga went six innings deep against the Washington Nationals in the second game of the series, allowing three runs and striking out eight hitters in the Cubs' 7-6 win.
The former Yokohama DeNA BayStars pitcher got a nod from MLB.com in their recent poll for Rookie of the Year contenders, with Paul Skenes and Jackson Merrill leading the race for the NL accolade.
Meanwhile, a red-hot August saw the Cubs themselves in the race for a postseason spot as they trail the Atlanta Braves by four games for the final NL Wild Card place.
The Cubs closed out August with a 5-3 win against the Nationals on Saturday, making it five wins on the trot and three consecutive series wins.