CHICAGO – Shota Imanaga had just had the game of his life: 7 innings without a run, 11 strikeouts and helping the Cubs defeat their direct competitor. He left the field to thunderous applause from the Wrigley Field stands.
But instead of celebrating as usual, Imanaga walked slowly to the dugout, looked up to the sky… and cried.
“Today I didn’t just pitch. I was doing the last thing he wanted me to do…”
In the post-game press conference, Imanaga choked up to confirm: His high school coach – Mr. Hiroshi Matsuda – had just passed away that morning due to a serious illness.
Matsuda was not only the person who taught him his first pitches, but also the person who discovered Imanaga’s natural talent when he was just a skinny middle school student in Yokohama.
He always texted him, encouraging him every time he pitched – even when he was in the hospital during the last weeks of his life.
“The last message he sent me was: ‘Pitch like it’s your last time.’”
Imanaga shared that before moving to the US, he promised Mr. Matsuda that he would “bring the spirit of Japanese baseball to the world”. And today, in a Cubs jersey, he did it – not with technique, but with heart and absolute loyalty to his late teacher.
Immediately after the game, his Cubs teammates wore T-shirts with the words in Japanese: “ありがとう、松田先生” (Thank you, Mr. Matsuda) as an emotional tribute. On social media, the hashtag #ForCoachMatsuda immediately became a trend in Japan and the US.
Conclusion: A Throw to Heaven
Shota Imanaga didn’t just get the Cubs closer to the playoffs – he made the entire sports world bow down to the sacred teacher-student relationship. In a sport full of numbers and pressure, there are still quiet, yet heartbreakingly beautiful moments like this.
“I believe… somewhere, he’s watching me throw. And smiling.” – Imanaga said softly, his eyes still red.