Shota Imanaga, a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, gained attention after celebrating the team's postseason clinch by spraying beer on himself during a clubhouse celebration on Thursday. Imanaga described his actions as 'Japanese style' and referred to it as 'Japanese misogi' while demonstrating the act with two bottles of beer. The Cubs shared a video of the celebration on social media, highlighting the moment with a caption about self-service.
The Cubs secured their playoff spot with a 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. Seiya Suzuki contributed to the win by tying the game with his 26th home run of the season, and Nico Hoerner drove in the winning run. Additionally, Pete Crow-Armstrong achieved a milestone by recording his 40th stolen base of the season, joining a select group of players with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season.
Imanaga has played a significant role in the Cubs' success this season, finishing with an 11-10 record and a 3.74 ERA. He has also recorded 171 strikeouts over 173 ⅓ innings pitched. The Cubs, who finished last season with a 92-70 record, advanced to the postseason but were eliminated in the NLDS by the Milwaukee Brewers. Imanaga, who turned 33 earlier this month, has a career ERA of 3.44 and a record of 35-21.