Shota Imanaga Has Hilarious Solution for His Bathtub-less House

The Cubs pitcher is getting creative.

Shota Imanaga pitches against the Pirates. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

On the field, Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga's adjustment to playing in North America has been seamless. The southpaw went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA his rookie year (including contributions to a combined no-hitter), and is off to a 3-1 start with a 2.77 ERA as a sophomore.

Off the field, however, Imanaga finds one area of North American life lacking—as he outlined in an interview with MLB circulated Saturday morning.

"Most houses in Japan have bathtubs," Imanaga said via an interpreter. "And so when I go somewhere without one, I miss the bathtubs in Japan."

This has inspired Imanaga to get creative in his new home.

"The place I'm at right now, they don't have a bathtub," Imanaga said. "So I bought an inflatable tub, which is for kids or babies. And I just put hot water in there, and I'll just go in there."

What does Shōta Imanaga miss the most about Japan?

Answer: Bathtubs🤣 pic.twitter.com/EZ3LN32yQ1

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 3, 2025

While unorthodox, clearly, this arrangement is working—both for Imanaga and for the first-place Cubs.

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