Imanaga's Opening Day Nod Sets High Bar for Year 2

Last week, Cubs' manager Craig Counsell confirmed that Imanaga would pitch in one of the games in his home country of Japan, where the team will kick off the 2025 season against the Los Angeles Dodgers next month. But it is now confirmed that the former Nippon Professional League star will get the opportunity to duel his fellow countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the first game of the Tokyo Series, marking a historic moment for both pitchers in their return to Japan. 

After signing with the Cubs last January, Imanaga shattered virtually everyone's expectations during his initial campaign in the United States. He compiled a 3.0 fWAR and a 2.91 ERA, struck out 174 batters over 29 starts, and secured an All-Star game appearance. He was the team's most consistent starting pitcher, and the Opening Day nod is a testament to a stellar season where he also finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. 

It will be hard for the 31-year-old to replicate his production from last year, but staying healthy and giving the team quality innings is the main priority. Especially because the team failed to bring in another top-line starter and instead opted to gamble on Matthew Boyd. But Imanaga showed great resilience and longevity over the more grueling MLB season, and there could be more in store for opposing lineups.

Although Imanaga primarily used a fastball and splitter combination to deal with batters in 2024, his teammate Justin Steele alluded to a larger pitch mix during an interview with The Setup Man in December. Imanaga's repertoire apparently features at least two more good offerings that he didn't have to use in 2024, possibly putting him in an even better position to fool hitters in 2025 and beyond. 

Steele is the most likely candidate to start game 2 against the Dodgers, with their newest Japanese signee, Roki Sasaki, possibly in line to oppose him.