Pressure makes diamonds—or sends pitchers looking for the nearest exit. As the Chicago Cubs prepare to battle the Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB Tokyo Series 2025 opener, one man stands at the center of it all: Shota Imanaga. With history, expectations, and a star-studded Dodgers lineup bearing down on him, the lefty isn’t holding back about what’s really on his mind.
Just one day to go before the season opener and the fans can’t wait for it. But Imanaga wishes that the day doesn’t come at all and after 24 hours, he wishes the 25th hour starts. The fans are piling up and so is the pressure on Shota Imanaga.
During an interview, Imanaga said, “We have a mental coach on the team, but I don’t think I’m mentally strong enough to consult him all the time. I feel a lot of pressure, and sometimes I feel like I want to run away.” This shows the magnitude of the clash that is about to take place at the Tokyo Dome.
The Cubs pitcher has openly admitted to feeling very nervous during high-pressure situations and this pressure is of a different level. The pressure on Imanaga is not only of the Cubs fans but also of his fans in Japan. While featuring in front of the home crowd, he will want to come out on top.
He also says that he is very determined to perform against the Dodgers in such a high-caliber matchup. He also talked about the opposing pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and told us how good he is.
As the clock ticks down, Shota Imanaga has nowhere to run—except straight to the mound. The pressure is suffocating, the stakes sky-high, and the Dodgers’ bats unforgiving. But hey, if history remembers him, it’ll either be for brilliance or catastrophe. No pressure, right?
Shota Imanaga talks about Shohei Ohtani during the interview
Not every pitcher in baseball gets the chance to face a generational talent, but when the moment arrives, most can’t help but make it personal. Not Shota Imanaga. As the Chicago Cubs ace prepares for the biggest start of his season, he’s got one message for those hyping up his showdown with Shohei Ohtani—relax, it’s just another out.
Imanaga is not giving any special favors to anyone, even if your name is Shohei Ohtani. During an interview, Imanaga said, “There isn’t really satisfaction of getting him (Shohei Ohtani) out, just himself. He is one of the hitters of the Dodgers, so that’s more of getting an out on the Dodgers offense. So, I think there’s no difference in satisfaction there.”
This is the right mindset for the pitcher to have when is going against one of the best players baseball has ever seen. He considered Ohtani as just another batter in the Dodgers lineup and nothing more. By no means is he snubbing Ohtani, but he does not want to make just an out a significance of the game. He wants to make the Cubs win the significance of the game.
Imanaga isn’t here for personal trophies—he’s here for wins. While the world obsesses over Ohtani, the Cubs ace is busy plotting how to dismantle an entire Dodgers lineup. After all, one strikeout won’t make history—but a victory just might.
The post Shota Imanaga Reveals Wanting to “Run Away” as He Candidly Admits “Pressure” Before Tokyo Series Clash appeared first on EssentiallySports.