Why is Shota Imanaga's nickname 'Throwing Philosopher'? Reason behind new Cubs ace's alternative moniker explored

His studious approach to baseball is what made Shota Imanaga one of the best pitchers in Japan. Now, after achieving celebrity status in his homeland, the pitching ace is set to make his MLB debut.

Last week, Imanaga agreed to join the Chicago Cubs under the terms of a four-year, $53 million deal. With the signing, the last Japanese pitcher of note that was posted this season has found a new home in advance of the 2024 season.

"Shōta Imanaga is going to fit right in at Wrigley Field." - MLB

A member of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars since 2016, the 30-year old Imanaga has quite the NPB resume. In addition to holding a 3.18 ERA across eight seasons, Imanaga is a two-time All-Star and led the NPB's Pacific League in the strikeout category last season with 288 of them.

Imanaga is nicknamed the "Throwing Philosopher" on account of his scholarly approach to pitching. Known to work tirelessly on perfecting his repertoire, the newly minted Chicago Cubs player boasts exceptional command of his arsenal of breaking pitches, especially his changeup, which has been known to baffle hitters.

According to Shota Imanaga, the March 2023 World Baseball Classic inspired him to study his pitch delivery even more, as well as plant the seeds of interest in a possible MLB debut. The tournament saw Imanaga's Team Japan emerge victorious after Shohei Ohtani struck out Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to win it all in the final game in Miami.

"BREAKING: The Chicago #Cubs are Signing LHP Shota Imanaga according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The LHP had a 2.96ERA over 1129.2 IP in the NPB" - JPABaseball

In Chicago, the "Throwing Philosopher" will have the chance to meet up with countryman Seiya Suzuki. After a rough 2022 campaign saw Suzuki muster a .262 average, the former Hiroshima Toyo Carp battled back, hitting .285 in 2023 with 20 home runs and 74 RBIs. In Chicago, it is likely that Suzuki will serve as a foundational mentor for Imanaga as he makes the transition to MLB.

Shota Imanaga will have plenty of study material when he comes to MLB

Having already had the chance to pitch alongside Shohei Ohtani, the studiousness of Imanaga is likely to increase when he comes to North America. With so many new styles and adjustments to make, we can only hope that the flamethrower will be taking all the notes that he can.