“He’s a star, so I’m a little jealous” - Shota Imanaga on the surreal experience of suiting up alongside Shohei Ohtani at the All-Star Game

2024 has been a year of firsts for Japanese-born Shota Imanaga. On Tuesday, the Cubs ace got his first chance to represent the National League at the All-Star Game, and did so alongside the best player to ever hail from his nation.

In addition to playing in Japan's NPB in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Ohtani and Imanaga were both part of Japan's 2023 World Baseball Classic. On Tuesday, the pair, who helped lead their team to victory at the WBC, suited up together.

Although Imanaga is putting forth a very solid MLB debut season, he still has some ways to go before he reaches the notoriety of Shohei Ohtani. Fully aware of this, the 30 year-old leftie claimed that Ohtani was "another level up" from other players, and that "he's a star. So I'm a little jealous."

"Shota Imanaga is all of us watching Shohei Ohtani. #AllStarGame" - MLB

Shota Imanaga's praise came after Shohei Ohtani's three-run home run against Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck stood up as the NL's only run in the 5-3 loss. Needless to say, Imanaga was not the only individual captivated by another masterful performance off of the bat of the reigning AL MVP.

A member of NPB's Yokohama DeNA Baystars from 2016 until 2023, Shota Imanaga was one of the most sought-after pitchers in last offseason's free agency. After much deliberation, Imanaga inked a four-year, $53 million deal with the Chicago Cubs in January.

"Successful outing for Shota Imanaga! 1.0 IP | 0 H | 1 K" - Chicago Cubs

Through his first 17 starts of the season for the Cubs, Imanaga has dominated. Across the breadth of 97 innings on the mound, the 5-foot-10 southpaw is 8-2 with a 2.97 ERA, with 98 strikeouts to his name. He pitched the fourth inning in Tuesday's All-Star game, sitting down all three batters, which included a strikeout of Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman.

Shota Imanaga impresses MLB counterparts with maiden All-Star nod

Imanaga's strong pitching serves as yet another piece of evidence that the NPB is becoming just as competitive as MLB. Before the All-Star Game, Imanaga's teammate Nico Hoerner told MLB.com:

“He’s just very well-equipped to handle whatever this sport happens to throw his way. His personality is a big part of why he’s been able to have success making a really challenging transition.”

With at least three more seasons with the Cubs to go, watch out for Imanaga to continue to chase milestones and capture audiences.