Cubs’ Shota Imanaga offers humorous commentary on Okamoto and Murakami’s career home runs

As anticipation surrounding Japanese players in Major League Baseball (MLB) grows, driven by the stellar contributions of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs remain confident in their investment in Shota Imanaga. This trend is mirrored across the league with other promising players like Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami signing with the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox, respectively.

While Okamoto and Murakami prepare to make their marks in Toronto and Chicago, Imanaga will continue his tenure with the Cubs. Reflecting on the offseason performances of his fellow countrymen showcased by MLB, Imanaga offered a light-hearted remark about their prowess.

“In Japan, we have plenty of superstars. Players like Murakami and Okamoto have hit their fair share of home runs off me. In fact, I joked that some of the home runs they hit off me should be part of their contracts [laughs],“ Imanaga shared on the sports talk show Foul Territory.

Okamoto and Murakami, along with other Japanese talents like Tatsuya Imai and Kona Takahashi, sought to join MLB through the posting system last offseason, drawing significant interest from multiple teams in the trade market.

Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates.

Home run highlights: Okamoto and Murakami

With Imanaga’s statement underscoring the high expectations placed on these players, fans eagerly await to see how Murakami and Okamoto’s impressive home run records in Japan will translate to MLB. The upcoming season promises ample opportunities for these sluggers to showcase their batting skills on the international stage.

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Their career home run statistics are as follows:

• Total NPB HRs: 246 (Murakami), 248 (Okamoto)
• Single-Season High: 56 (2022 – Murakami), 41 (2023 – Okamoto)
• HR per 162 Games: ~44 (Murakami), ~32 (Okamoto)
• Batting Side: Left (Murakami), Right (Okamoto)
• MLB Home Run Projection: 35–40 (Murakami), 25–30 (Okamoto)

As the baseball world gears up for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, where both players will represent their nation, and with the regular MLB season approaching, there is no shortage of excitement surrounding what these talented hitters can achieve on American soil.