Tokyo Dome is on fire! Yamamoto vs. Imanaga, Ohtani vs. Suzuki, a wonderful event. Director LAD agreed
Feb 19, 2025
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The Chicago Cubs officially announced on the club's official SNS on the 19th (Korea Standard Time) that left-hander Imana, who made his Major League debut last year and won 15 games, has selected Shota.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell interviewed local media in Mesa, Arizona, where spring training is underway. "This decision was nothing to worry about. There was no choice. Major League Baseball's obligations..."
The Cubs will hold two consecutive regular-season games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18-19. Earlier, the Dodgers appointed Yamamoto Yoshinobu as the starter for the opening game, which is the first time in the history of the big league opening game that Japanese pitchers will face off.
It is also the first time in history that a Japanese Major League pitcher will face off as a starter at the Tokyo Dome, where the game will be held.
Imanaga joined the Cubs last year on the condition of $22.5 million for two years and $80 million for five years, including club options from 2026 to 2028, and spent his debut season. He started 29 games, lost 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 174 strikeouts, playing in the All-Star Game, ranking fifth in the NL Cy Young Award and fourth in the Rookie of the Year Award.
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Counsell said "If Imana throws like she did last year, it's really great. He has performed the challenge given to him very well. I did that last year. It's the world of sports, so I hope you do it again."
Yamamoto also entered the Major League last year. Joining the Dodgers for a 12-year, $325 million pitcher's highest ransom, he was 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 18 games. He was away for about three months due to an arm injury, but he did his part in good health. In particular, the postseason helped the Dodgers win the World Series with two wins and a 3.86 ERA in four games.
While the starter for Game 2 of the opening series has yet to be decided, the Dodgers are considering another Japanese pitcher, Rocky Sasaki. Sasaki wore a Dodgers uniform in a posting last winter. Manager Dave Roberts said, `We will watch the training process in the spring training, but we will make it a priority for Sasaki to play in the second game.'
For the Cubs, Justin Steele seems likely to be the starter for the second game. Steele was 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 24 games last year.
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Cubs President Jed Hoyer said, `The interest of baseball fans around the world is going to increase tremendously. I talked with the Dodgers manager yesterday, and he said, "It's a very good stage for the Major League Baseball as well," adding, "It's worth seeing Ohtani and Suzuki face each other at bat from Game 1. It's a great event."
As a result, a ticket war among Japanese baseball fans to enter the 46,000-capacity Tokyo Dome is also on fire.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
