Shota Imanaga

2025 Player Outlook

Imanaga was fantastic for Chicago and fantasy managers last year, going 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA (3.72 FIP), 25.1 percent strikeout rate, and 1.02 WHIP. He pumps the strike zone, gets ahead of hitters often (68% first pitch strike rate in 2024), and gets a bunch of swings out of the zone. His fly ball profile in the Windy City will always be potentially problematic, but even last year, he only had a 1.31 HR/9 at home. While his ERA likely ends above 3.00 this year, he’ll hover right around a strikeout per inning, and a good offense backing him should keep his win total in the low-to-mid teens. He’s an excellent SP2 in fantasy formats this season.