Shota
Imanaga
PAge : 33Throws : L
#18
Shota Imanaga
#18P
Chicago Cubs
Height : 5' 10" · Weight : 79 kg · Bats : L · Throws : L · MLB debut : 2024-04-01
Born in : Kitakyushu, Japan
MLB record
| Year | Team | PJ | V | D | MPM | MJ | RB | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Chicago Cubs | 32 | 11 | 10 | 3.77 | 174.1 | 174 | 1.10 |
| 2025 | Chicago Cubs | 25 | 9 | 8 | 3.73 | 144.2 | 117 | 0.99 |
| 2024 | Chicago Cubs | 29 | 15 | 3 | 2.91 | 173.1 | 174 | 1.02 |
| Career totals | 86 | 35 | 21 | 3.45 | 492.1 | 465 | 1.04 | |
ContractChicago Cubs payroll →
- Type
- Free Agent
- Length
- 1 yr · 2026–2026
- Total value
- 22.0 M$
- AAV
- 22.03 M$
2026
22.03 M$
Guaranteed
Advanced stats, 2026Starting pitcherMLB stats →
ERA
3.77
FIP
4.47
xFIP
3.74
ERA-
92
WHIP
1.10
K%
24.6 %
BB%
5.2 %
Strikeouts
174
Innings
174.3
Wins
11
Stats: MLB (statsapi) and Baseball Savant.
2027 projectionMLB trends →
Projected WAR
1.5
Strikeouts
148
2026 WAR
1.8
This season's pace, over the average of the last two workloads, adjusted for next year's age.
Trend
→ Stable (+5)
- 20243.1 WAR · 3.2 per full season
- 20250.9 WAR · 1.1 per full season
- 20261.8 WAR · 1.9 per full season
Outlook, age included
-10 · 32 y.o. · the age when performance usually declines
It is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes.
Player ratings, 2026All ratings →
Ratings from 0 to 100, computed from Statcast and MLB stats over four seasons, never by hand. 75 = established regular, 87 = 90th percentile, 95+ = elite.
OV · Overall
82
Very good
- VEL
- Velocity
- 54
- STF
- Stuff
- 82
- CTL
- Control
- 95
- CNT
- Contact allowed
- 71
- STA
- Stamina
- 82
- DUR
- Durability
- 87
- EX
- Experience
- 47
Why these ratings?Hide details
- VEL — Velocity : Fastball velocity
- STF — Stuff : Strikeouts, K − BB
- CTL — Control : Walks avoided
- CNT — Contact allowed : xwOBA, barrels and hard-hit balls allowed
- STA — Stamina : Innings per start and innings pitched
- DUR — Durability : Games played over several seasons
- EX — Experience : Seasons in the majors
WAR and PAL Rating, 2026How we rate →
WAR is fWAR (FanGraphs' version, distributed through MLB's API): wins added above a replacement player. PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against regulars in the same role (50 = median).
WAR
1.8
#78 of 166 regular starters
PAL Rating
76 / 100
#40 of 166 regular starters
Value Rating
18 / 100
Surplus $-4.4M · salary $22.0MPAL: dimensions
A pitcher's WAR
Computed by MLB from FIP (strikeouts, walks, home runs). FIP: 4.47 · RA9-WAR: 3.4
StatcastStatcast leaderboards →
MLB's tracking of every ball, 2026 season. The percentile ranks the player among regulars in the role: 90th means better than 90% of them.
Fastball
91.6 mi/h
8th percentile
K%
24.6 %
74th percentile
BB%
5.2 %
93th percentile
xERA
3.81
74th percentile
xwOBA allowed
.301
74th percentile
Barrels allowed
9.8 %
14th percentile
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | OV | Fastball | K% | BB% | xERA | xwOBA allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | CHC | 1.8 | 76 | 82 | 91.6 | 24.6 | 5.2 | 3.81 | .301 |
| 2025 | CHC | 0.9 | 52 | 80 | 90.8 | 20.6 | 4.6 | 4.07 | .313 |
| 2024 | CHC | 3.1 | 89 | 87 | 91.7 | 25.1 | 4.0 | 3.34 | .288 |
Game log, 2026
| Date | Opponent | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27 | @ BOS | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3.77 |
| Sep 22 | vs MIA | 5.0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3.74 |
| Sep 16 | vs ATL | 6.0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3.80 |
| Sep 11 | vs PIT | 6.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3.88 |
| Sep 4 | @ MIA | 6.0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3.91 |
| Aug 30 | vs CIN | 5.0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4.01 |
| Aug 23 | @ SEA | 2.0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3.78 |
| Aug 17 | vs CWS | 6.0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 3.77 |
| Aug 11 | @ WSH | 4.2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3.74 |
| Aug 5 | vs LAD | 5.0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3.60 |