Yokohama DeNA BayStars’ Shota Imanaga (30), who became the winning pitcher in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) final, showed an amazing pitch.
On the 7th, Imanaga started the game 먹튀검증 against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, and recorded six hits (one home run) and 15 strikeouts and one run in seven innings.
One of Japan’s leading left-handed aces played for the Japanese national team at the WBC held in March, with one win (6 innings) and a 3.00 ERA in three times with one win and a 3.00 ERA. In the final match against the U.S., he took the mound as a starting pitcher and became a winning pitcher with four hits (one home run), two strikeouts and one run in two innings.
Lee Man-aga is playing in 11 games (79 innings) this season with 6 wins, 1 loss and a 2.28 ERA. Except that Kazuma Okamoto, who also played with the WBC national team in the second inning with 15 strikeouts, allowed a solo home run, almost completely blocked the Yomiuri lineup.
Japanese media Nikkan Sports said, “Imanaga had a strikeout show.” He struck out seven consecutive batters, the most in his career, and recorded 15 strikeouts, the club’s all-time tie. “The advice of teammate Trevor Bauer, who won a complete game on the 6th, was also engraved in his heart,” he said, highlighting Imana’s good pitching.
Trevor Bauer, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2020, was virtually expelled from the major leagues in 2021 due to allegations of sexual violence. Bauer, who failed to take the mound last season, entered the Japanese professional baseball league by signing with Yokohama this season. His performance this season is 6 wins, 2 losses, and a 3.53 ERA in 10 games (66⅓ innings).
Imanaga said, “Bauer is said to throw using the angle and gravity of the hip joint. I think it’s really cool to answer right away when you ask me about pitching. I threw it with a deeper waist angle, too. He tried to make a ball speed rather than a pitching mechanism. I don’t know if it was a good ball, but Suu Kyi was able to throw the ball quickly,” he explained about Bauer’s advice.
Imanaga then laughed, saying, “If Bauer wins, I’m throwing with the mind that I’ll win, too. Bauer pitched as a starting pitcher against the Yakult Swallows on the 7th and pitched 128 pitches in nine innings, allowing four hits, seven strikeouts, three walks and two runs. Imana continued his team’s winning streak the next day.