Looks like MLB’s love affair with WNBA isn’t ending anytime soon. Just a day after the Los Angeles Dodgers surprised the world by bringing top rookie Cameron Brink to the Dodger Stadium. Her picture with Shohei Ohtani in particular went viral (partly because the fans were in awe of their height difference). However, the Chicago Cubs too have an ace in their hands. The North Siders generated a similar moment with Shota Imanaga and the rising Chicago Sky’s rookies.

Wrigley Field was buzzing when it saw the two Chicago Sky’s rookies approaching the mound. With the Cubbies making Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso special guests, the two ended up throwing the ceremonial first pitch. However, both of them ended up lobbing it with Reese’s ball bouncing right at the plate. But that wasn’t close to the most memorable moment of the day. 

Both the WNBA rookies approached the Cubs’ fast-rising pitcher Shota Imanaga. While the Japanese star is a rookie, his scarily good form has made him a frontrunner for all the pitching awards in 2024. That has surely turned him into a fan-favorite figure in the North Side. That’s something that Reese and Cardoso would be looking to recreate during their rookie year.

However, the Chicago Cubs did look quite mesmerized. The team’s Instagram account posted multiple photos and a reel of the two Sky’s stars. However, their picture with Imanaga was the one that caught every fan’s attention. After all, while they were wondering about the height difference between Brink and Ohtani, that difference is even more profound here. The two rising WNBA stars dwarfed the 5’10 Imanaga.

However, while Imanaga may have been dwarfed in height, he’s certainly the tallest when it comes to rookies. How is that? Well, the MLB Pipeline rankings can answer that question.

Shota Imanaga continues to shine as MLB Pipeline releases Rookie Hot List

Shota Imanaga started the first month as no.2 hottest rookie in April. However, few expected him to not only maintain that form but hit an overdrive in quality in May. But that’s exactly what Imanaga did. With a sub 1.00 ERA, the philosopher is currently no.1 in MLB’s Rookie Hot List. That’s quite an achievement for a pitcher who went under the radar during his free agency. 

As a result, in one fell swoop Imanaga has found himself in contention for the Cy Young and the Rookie of the Year awards. Winning the former could prove to be a historical occasion for MLB as no Japanese player has ever won the Cy Young award. Could Imanaga break that steak and become the first to hold that elusive prize? His current form shows he has a huge chance.