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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘It's an honor': Miami's own Tom Llamas on taking over a national nightly newscast
Tom Llamas is more than ready for his closeup. When the Miami native takes over 'NBC Nightly News' Monday evening, he brings 30 years of experience to the anchor desk. Did we mention he's only 45? A good chunk of that experience came from logging many hours at local TV stations, where he started at the tender age of 15. First job: Interning for Telemundo 51 in Hialeah. 'I walked in with a blue blazer and they told me to take that off immediately,' Llamas told the Miami Herald while in town in early May for a promo tour. Duties ranged from the mundane, like answering calls on the assignment desk, to the terrifying, like going out to cover crime scenes. 'I saw my first dead body when I was 16,' he stated calmly. 'It was a really serious job for a teenager, but I loved it. It put me on a path to where I am at today.' About that path, it's pretty stratospheric, and not lost on him. Llamas is just the fourth lead anchor in the last 40 years of 'Nightly News,' and the first Latino. His Cuban immigrant parents — constantly consuming newspapers and TV to know what was happening on the island — get a hat tip for that one. 'I remember waking up in the morning smelling Cuban coffee and my dad reading the Miami Herald cover to cover,' recalled the fellow news junkie. 'My mom was the same way.' Llamas landed the Telemundo gig soon after a serendipitous career day at Belen Jesuit Prep when local anchor Louis Aguirre, then with Channel 10, returned to his alma mater. The starstruck freshman told Aguirre he had an interest in current events and writing; Aguirre recommended going into broadcasting. 'Because he took the time out to speak to us, it changed my life,' Llamas said. Aguirre didn't realize the impact he'd had on Llamas until the fall of 2015 when the two men reconnected at the GOP debate in Simi Valley, California. At the time, Llamas was with 'ABC World News Tonight' and Aguirre with 'The Insider.' 'He came up to me and said, 'You may not know this, but you made such an impression on me,'' Aguirre told the Miami Herald. 'He'd already hit it big in New York, so I thought that was so generous and gracious to tell me that anecdote. It's a testament to what kind of person he is, not to mention a hell of a journalist.' Now with WLPG Local 10, Aguirre thinks it's a bonus that they're both graduates of Belen's 'hallowed halls.' Founded in 1800s Havana, the all boys school was re-established in Miami in 1961 after Castro (an alumnus) confiscated the property and expelled the Jesuits. 'I'm proud to be an alum,' said Llamas. 'It has such a rich history. It has grown to this incredible institution that is educating young men and has never lost its focus or its roots. It also teaches every student the importance of being Hispanic and why you need to love this country.' Llamas, who now resides in Westchester County with his wife and three kids, will always have a soft spot for his hometown. When he was born his family was living in Little Havana, then moved for a brief, 'freezing' three-year stint to Flint, Mich., for his father's pediatric dentist residency. They then returned to South Florida and lived in the Coral Gables area. 'It was a great life. Little League... roasting pigs in the backyard, a very typical life in Miami. An amazing experience. You could play sports year round. You could be at the beach year round,' said the avid fisherman. 'I am 305 through and through. It's in my DNA.' The 305's weather isn't too shabby either: 'Right when February rolls around and there's still snow on the ground in New York and you don't see the sun, I'm going, 'What is going on here? How did I leave!?'' Favorite old-school (and now defunct) hangouts included the Bakery Centre (the site of Shops at Sunset Place); Specs records store; the original CocoWalk; and — going way back to the archives — Whirlyball. 'It was like this concept of bumper cars and wiffle ball and jai alai,' Llamas explained. 'It sounds like a Miami fever dream.' These days, you'll catch the media superstar with his wife and three kids at iconic spots like Versailles ('a classic'), Pinecrest Bakery ('the best pastelitos'), Joe's Stone Crab (for the colossals) and Faena (their kids love the 'blinged out fossil.') As for local sports? Llamas is still all about the U, aka the University of Miami's Hurricanes, which won five national championships in the 1980s and '90s. 'Some of my best memories with my dad are going to the Orange Bowl and watching them just dominate,' he said, adding he still catches Marlins and Dolphins games every now and again. 'Those were great teams and great years for a very long time.' Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Llamas began cutting his teeth with the NBC family in various behind the scenes roles. His first on-air position was at NBC 6 South Florida, with his folks cheering him on from their living room a few miles away. 'I was really green when I started and made a lot of mistakes, especially when I was live,' Llamas admitted, laughing. 'I called my mom and I'd say, 'How'd I do?' And she'd say, 'You did great.' I knew I was terrible!' Llamas got better, way better. He went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for his report on human smuggling while embedded at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. Among the vastly fascinating stories in his highlight reel, some stick out more than others, namely natural disasters. He's covered all the big storms, from Katrina and Irene to Sandy, and lived through Andrew as a kid. 'Hurricanes remind us we're not in control,' he said. 'When you have no power and you have no food and you're just trying to get by, and you're trying to help each other out, it's hard, even in a modern world.' In 2014, Llamas was hired as a correspondent at 'ABC Nightly News,' where he eventually moved onto the weekend anchor desk filling in for David Muir. A few years in, he went viral when President Donald Trump singled him out during a press conference for questioning donations to veteran groups. OK, that snippet won't go in the highlight reel, though he did eventually score an exclusive sitdown with the first lady in in Nairobi, Kenya. Without discussing politics in general, Llamas will allow that the country is divided, a topic he hopes to eventually delve into in the future. 'We're at a time right now ... I mean, people are split up, and that's OK. It's happened throughout history, right? I don't think this is unique, but I do want to remind our viewers that we're all Americans, and there's certain things we can all agree on.' Since rejoining NBC network in 2021, Llamas has reported across the globe on major breaking news, including the New Orleans terror attack, the war in Ukraine, the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse as well as the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Lester Holt's reins were handed down in March, while the 66-year-old TV vet pivots his focus to 'Dateline.' 'Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity,' said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News' executive vice president, in a release at the time. For Llamas, it's literally a dream come true, but not without challenges. 'It's an honor; there's a lot of pressure, but I do think pressure is a privilege,' he said, adding he'll look to Holt, who is both a friend and mentor, for guidance. 'His brand is the most trusted journalist in America,' he continued. 'I want to make sure once I take that seat the viewers know that I'm working for them. I work for NBC, but I really work for them. It's a public service.' When that camera goes on at 6:30 p.m. Monday how does one prepare for that full circle moment? What would the kid walking into the newsroom in Hialeah say? 'Everything that brought me here — I'm going to use,' he said, getting emotional. 'You don't get to the top of the mountain by stumbling. There's a reason why you're there. I've worked really hard.'
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Tom Llamas on taking over 'NBC Nightly News' from 'Iron Pants' Lester Holt
Tom Llamas on taking over 'NBC Nightly News' from 'Iron Pants' Lester Holt Show Caption Hide Caption 'NBC Nightly News' anchor Tom Llamas explains why he left ABC News Tom Llamas, the new anchor of "NBC Nightly News," explains to USA TODAY's Ralphie Aversa how he became interested in the news. NEW YORK - Tom Llamas, the veteran journalist who takes the helm of NBC Nightly News from Lester Holt on June 2, is breaking down a typical weekday and how it'll change with his new gig. Llamas lives just north of Manhattan in Westchester County, New York, with his wife Jennifer and their three children, ages 12, 9 and 7. "I get up at 6:30 in the morning because I want to be there for breakfast (with my kids)," Llamas, 45, tells USA TODAY. "But I've got to have my energy levels peaking at 6:30 (p.m.) now. I'm going to figure it out; a lot of Cuban coffee." Llamas admits that he already drank a lot of coffee with his previous schedule, which includes traveling the globe to cover breaking news for NBC in addition to anchoring "Top Story with Tom Llamas," an evening news program that streams on NBC News Now. (The show recently earned an Emmy nomination.) Llamas also served as the main substitute anchor for Holt on "Nightly News." In addition to his new duties as the anchor and managing editor of "Nightly News," Llamas will continue to host "Top Story." "People are working feverishly at 30 Rock because the moment 'Nightly News' ends in the same studio, they're going to hit a button and the entire studio's going to change," Llamas reveals, as Studio 1A will transform from the "Nightly News" set to "Top Story." In all, he'll be anchoring 90 minutes of live television, five nights a week. "The graphics are all going to change, and 'Top Story's' going to start within seconds." Who is new 'NBC Nightly News' anchor Tom Llamas? Llamas was born in Miami to Cuban refugee parents and traces his interest in news to his childhood. "At the dinner table, we were always talking politics, international affairs, even when we were little," he recalls. "Our parents wanted us to understand what had happened in Cuba, so I was always interested in current events." His career started at 15 when he landed an internship with Telemundo, now owned by NBCUniversal. Llamas graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and later completed a program at the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies. Since 2000, he has spent the majority of his time with NBC News and its local affiliates, save for a seven-year stretch from 2014 to 2021 at ABC News. During Llamas' time at ABC, he worked as chief national affairs correspondent and as the weekend anchor on "World News Tonight," while also handling substitute anchor duties for David Muir on weekdays. When the world shut down following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Llamas' priorities shifted; he was looking to travel less. A homecoming to NBC News was "always in the back of my mind," he says. NBC News hired him as a senior national correspondent and the "Top Story" anchor. "The team welcomed me with open arms," he says. "People like Savannah (Guthrie) and Hoda (Kotb) were the first people I told and they were so nice. And I've known Lester since I was 21." Holt, 66, has anchored "Nightly News" since 2015, when he replaced Brian Williams, who was suspended for falsely claiming that he had been in a helicopter hit by enemy fire during the Iraq War. A subsequent investigation found that he had made other inaccurate statements about his experiences covering events, and he lost the job. Llamas is the fourth person in the last 40 years to anchor "Nightly News," joining Holt, Williams and Tom Brokaw, who anchored from 1983 to 2004. Both Llamas and his wife worked for Holt as production assistants straight out of college. Tom Llamas continues a trend in changing faces at NBC, network news Holt will stay with NBC as anchor of "Dateline" newsmagazine. But his departure from the anchor chair at "Nightly News" marks the second major change to NBC News' talent lineup this year. Kotb left her post as co-anchor of "Today" in January. All of this comes as Comcast, NBCUniversal's parent company, prepares to spin off MSNBC, CNBC, E! and Syfy into a new company called Versant. Meanwhile, Norah O'Donnell departed the "CBS Evening News" in January, and was unsuccessfully replaced by co-anchors Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson. Muir, who took over "World News Tonight" in 2014, is the longest tenured of the network evening news anchors. "There's still close to 20 million Americans that watch the evening news every single night," Llamas remarks of the current landscape. "It's a lot more competitive than people know. We compete for everything in network news, like whether it be bookings on guests, on politicians, live-shot locations, who has the best story, who has the most compelling elements, the video. All of our journalists, besides getting the story right, they're also making sure that they've beaten the competition." Llamas' goal with "Nightly News" is to "modernize the storytelling little by little," employing more user-generated content. He'll judge the program's success on gaining viewers' trust, although he wants "Nightly News" to be No. 1 in the ratings; ABC has led for nearly a decade, with CBS a distant third. However, his conversations with Holt on the anchor role have focused less on ratings and more on their personal lives. "(Holt) did this job while being a father and a husband," Llamas says. "He had two sons and he came up in local news, cable and the network. He was always a hard worker. I mean, his nickname is 'Iron Pants.' So I've asked him about that and the tough calls he had to make." The work-life balance, while now on a more national level, isn't new to Llamas or his family. He says his kids are excited for him and he credits his wife with being the "rock" of their family. How will Tom Llamas cover the Trump administration? Llamas is aware that President Trump is a news consumer. And while the current president has probably seen some of Llamas' work on NBC, the anchor is also aware of his new platform. "You've got to be tough but fair," Llamas says. "If you're tough on the Republicans, you've got to be tough on the Democrats, and you've got to be fair about it. I think NBC has always done that. And then you've got to report the news without fear or favor. "I work for NBC News, but I really work for the viewers. And so when I do have the opportunity to interview the president" – he has not thus far – "I know I'm not asking questions for me or for NBC, I'm asking questions for the people at home. (The challenge) comes with the territory. I've had conversations with Lester about this as well. But I know what I've signed up for, and I'm looking forward to it."
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
What Lester Holt told Tom Llamas before handing over ‘NBC Nightly News'
Tom Llamas first stepped into NBC's Rockefeller Center headquarters in 2000 as a fresh-faced intern. On Monday, he becomes part of television news history as the fifth anchor of 'NBC Nightly News' and the first Latino journalist to helm a daily English-language network evening newscast (one of his mentors, Jose Diaz-Balart, handles the Saturday edition of 'Nightly'). Llamas, 45, takes over for Lester Holt, who will move full time to NBC's 'Dateline' after a 10-year run in the anchor chair. Llamas will remain the anchor of 'Top Story,' a live, hourlong newscast on the network's free streaming platform NBC News Now. The son of Cuban immigrants, Llamas grew up in Miami, where he continues to have strong ties (pop superstar Gloria Estefan and 'Sabado Gigante' host Don Francisco attended a party in Florida to celebrate his promotion). He lives in Westchester County, N.Y., with his wife, Jennifer, three children aged 12, nine and seven, and a dedicated room for his vinyl record collection built from a decade of crate-digging while traveling around the world on assignment. He recently spoke with The Times about his new role. You've known Lester Holt since you were a 21-year-old production assistant at NBC News. What advice did he give you for your new role? He's been married to this job. And so I asked him about that, because my kids have always known me as a network correspondent and a network anchor. But he told me, 'Your life is going to change.' And he explained to me that everyone's going to want a piece of you and there's going to be a lot of demands, even more than you've ever experienced. And he's been right about that. He said, 'You have to make the right decisions when it comes to your career and your family.' My wife and my kids have known that sometimes I'll be at a little league game or I'll be at a school play, and I have to run and jump on a plane because there's breaking news. And they understand that their dad does that. But we always have conversations about it. And it's tough. Do your children watch 'NBC Nightly News' and 'Top Story'? Oh yeah. I had my 7-year-old explaining the election to his classmates. He was walking them through when President Biden stepped down and Kamala Harris took over the nomination. Sometimes it's tough. They were watching that night during Hurricane Milton last summer when a transformer exploded over my head, and that is a little scary. There were some text messages and calls to me quickly. Sometimes they watch a little too much and we have to turn it off. But they are very plugged-in; they know the world around them. It's just the same way I was raised. We watched news in English and Spanish as far back as I can remember. Because my parents were always searching for news out of Cuba. What are your early news viewing memories? I can really remember any time Fidel Castro was going to be interviewed. It was always a major moment, right? I remember my parents watching the interview and then deciding if it was a fair interview or not and having an open conversation about that. So I'm hearing about conversations of fairness my entire life. And I see what it means and how viewers react to that. Did that inspire you to go into the profession? I don't know if it was an inspiration as much as it was a testament of how important the news is. It's just that my family relied on the news. They wanted to know what was happening in their home country. They wanted to know what was happening in America. And they listened, and they trust these people. What made the powers that be decide that you should keep doing 'Top Story' while doing 'Nightly'? It was actually my idea. Right now, in this country, you've got to be everywhere. And I didn't want to lose what we've established for three and a half years. We just got nominated for an Emmy up against amazing legacy shows like 'Nightly News,' 'ABC World News Tonight' and the 'CBS Evening News.' To be in that circle with a streaming show that is three years old, that's been one of the greatest achievements of my career. Because this was a startup. And a lot of people said we couldn't do this, and we have. President Trump basically declared war on diversity, equity and inclusion policies. [The Federal Communications Commission has called for an investigation into NBC's parent firm Comcast for what it describes as 'DEI discrimination.'] Has that muted the achievement of being the first Latino to anchor an English-speaking nightly newscast? I don't think I got this job because I'm Hispanic; I think I got this job because I'm the best person for the job. And I know that's what NBC believes, too. My life story is something I'm very proud of. [My parents] essentially came to this country with nothing. They had no money, they barely spoke the language, and this incredible country gave them a second chance. It gave them a new home. And they taught me hard work, but they also taught me to love this country. And I do, I think this is the greatest place in the world, hands down. To become the anchor of 'Nightly News' tells me that the American dream is still very alive. You're from the streaming music generation, but you have a vinyl record collection. How did that happen? Ten or 12 years ago, I went to my friend's house in Los Angeles and he has a record player. I think he played 'Sticky Fingers' from the Rolling Stones. We just chilled and we listened to the album. And I thought, 'What a great experience.' Then I realized the other fun part about records is just finding them and collecting them, and trying to get original pressings. I have Wilson Pickett records that were made in Spain. I have Beatles records where the liner notes and the album covers are in different languages. I have a room where I have them — it feels like you're walking into a jukebox. It's where I read the paper sometimes. It's where I prepare for big election nights. I'll be in there for hours. It's how I relax. What's on your turntable at the moment? I'm in a bit of a hard-bop phase, so I'm listening to a lot of Art Blakey, a lot of Cannonball Adderley. I've been trying to find great live albums. I picked up this great five-record set from Bruce Springsteen, the run he had in the late '70s through the '80s. And a great album, which I got turned on to, is Elvis Presley's 'From Elvis in Memphis.' He recorded that in 1969, when Jimi Hendrix was taking off and Woodstock was happening. And it's just a very country Americana album with beautiful songs. It's got the Memphis Boys backing him. You have good taste in music. I appreciate it.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
‘It's an honor': Miami's own Tom Llamas on taking over a national nightly newscast
Tom Llamas is more than ready for his closeup. When the Miami native takes over 'NBC Nightly News' Monday evening, he brings 30 years of experience to the anchor desk. Did we mention he's only 45? A good chunk of that experience came from logging many hours at local TV stations, where he started at the tender age of 15. First job: Interning for Telemundo 51 in Hialeah. 'I walked in with a blue blazer and they told me to take that off immediately,' Llamas told the Miami Herald when he was in town earlier this month for a promo tour. Duties ranged from the mundane, like answering calls on the assignment desk, to the terrifying, like going out to cover crime scenes. 'I saw my first dead body when I was 16,' he stated calmly. 'It was a really serious job for a teenager, but I loved it. It put me on a path to where I am at today.' About that path, it's pretty stratospheric, and not lost on him. Llamas is just the fifth lead anchor in the last almost 60 years of 'Nightly News' weekday history and the first Latino. His Cuban immigrant parents — constantly consuming newspapers and TV to know what was happening on the island — get a hat tip for that one. 'I remember waking up in the morning smelling Cuban coffee and my dad reading the Miami Herald cover to cover,' recalled the fellow news junkie. 'My mom was the same way.' The butterfly effect Llamas landed the Telemundo gig soon after a serendipitous career day at Belen Jesuit Prep when local anchor Louis Aguirre, then with Channel 10, returned to his alma mater. The starstruck freshman told Aguirre he had an interest in current events and writing; Aguirre recommended going into broadcasting. 'Because he took the time out to speak to us, it changed my life,' Llamas said. Aguirre didn't realize the impact he'd had on Llamas until the fall of 2015 when the two men reconnected at the GOP debate in Simi Valley, California. At the time, Llamas was with 'ABC World News Tonight' and Aguirre with 'The Insider.' 'He came up to me and said, 'You may not know this, but you made such an impression on me,'' Aguirre told the Miami Herald. 'He'd already hit it big in New York, so I thought that was so generous and gracious to tell me that anecdote. It's a testament to what kind of person he is, not to mention a hell of a journalist.' Now with WLPG Local 10, Aguirre thinks it's a bonus that they're both graduates of Belen's 'hallowed halls.' Founded in 1800s Havana, the all boys school was re-established in Miami in 1961 after Castro (an alumnus) confiscated the property and expelled the Jesuits. 'I'm proud to be an alum,' said Llamas. 'It has such a rich history. It has grown to this incredible institution that is educating young men and has never lost its focus or its roots. It also teaches every student the importance of being Hispanic and why you need to love this country.' A true Miamian Llamas, who now resides in Westchester County with his wife and three kids will always have a soft spot for his hometown. When he was born his family was living in Little Havana, then moved for a brief, 'freezing' three-year stint to Flint, Mich., for his father's pediatric dentist residency. They then returned to South Florida and lived in the South Miami area. 'It was a great life. Little League... roasting pigs in the backyard, a very typical life in Miami. An amazing experience. You could play sports year round. You could be at the beach year round,' said the avid fisherman. 'I am 305 through and through. It's in my DNA.' The 305's weather isn't too shabby either: 'Right when February rolls around and there's still snow on the ground in New York and you don't see the sun, I'm going, 'What is going on here? How did I leave!?'' Favorite old-school (and now defunct) hangouts included the Bakery Centre (the site of Shops at Sunset Place); Specs records store; the original CocoWalk; and — going way back to the archives — Whirlyball. 'It was like this concept of bumper cars and wiffle ball and jai alai,' Llamas explained. 'It sounds like a Miami fever dream.' These days, you'll catch the media superstar with his wife and three kids at iconic spots like Versailles ('a classic'), Pinecrest Bakery ('the best pastelitos'), Joe's Stone Crab (for the colossals) and Faena (their kids love the 'blinged out fossil.') As for local sports? Llamas is still all about the U, aka the University of Miami's Hurricanes, which won five national championships in the 1980s and '90s. 'Some of my best memories with my dad are going to the Orange Bowl and watching them just dominate,' he said, adding he still catches Marlins and Dolphins games every now and again. 'Those were great teams and great years for a very long time.' His brilliant career Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Llamas began cutting his teeth with the NBC family in various behind the scenes roles. His first on-air position was at NBC 6 South Florida, with his folks cheering him on from their living room a few miles away. 'I was really green when I started and made a lot of mistakes, especially when I was live,' Llamas admitted, laughing. 'I called my mom and I'd say, 'How'd I do?' And she'd say, 'You did you did great.' I knew I was terrible!' Llamas got better, way better. He went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for his report on human smuggling while embedded at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. Among the vastly fascinating stories in his highlight reel, some stick out more than others, namely natural disasters. He's covered all the big storms, from Katrina and Irene to Sandy, and lived through Andrew as a kid. 'Hurricanes remind us we're not in control,' he said. 'When you have no power and you have no food and you're just trying to get by, and you're trying to help each other out, it's hard, even in a modern world.' In 2014, Llamas was hired as a correspondent at 'ABC Nightly News,' where he eventually moved onto the weekend anchor desk filling in for David Muir. A few years in, he went viral when President Donald Trump insulted him during a press conference for questioning his donations to veteran groups. OK, that snippet won't go in the highlight reel, though he did eventually score an exclusive sitdown with the first lady in in Nairobi, Kenya. Without discussing politics in general, Llamas will allow that the country is divided, a topic he hopes to eventually delve into in the future. 'We're at a time right now ... I mean, people are split up, and that's OK. It's happened throughout history, right? I don't think this is unique, but I do want to remind our viewers that we're all Americans, and there's certain things we can all agree on.' Since rejoining NBC network in 2021, Llamas has reported across the globe on major breaking news, including the New Orleans terror attack, the war in Ukraine, the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse as well as the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Full circle moment Lester Holt's reins were handed down in March, while the 66-year-old TV vet pivots his focus to 'Dateline.' 'Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity,' said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News' executive vice president, in a release at the time. For Llamas, it's literally a dream come true, but not without challenges. 'It's an honor; there's a lot of pressure, but I do think pressure is a privilege,' he said, adding he'll look to Holt, who is both a friend and mentor, for guidance. 'Literally, his brand is the most trusted journalist in America,' he continued. 'I want to make sure once I take that seat the viewers know that I'm working for them. I work for NBC, but I really work for them. It's a public service.' When that camera goes on at 6:30 p.m. Monday how does one prepare for that full circle moment? What would the kid walking into the newsroom in Hialeah say? 'Everything that brought me here, I'm going to use,' he said, getting emotional. 'You don't get to the top of the mountain by stumbling. There's a reason why you're there. I've worked really hard.'
NBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Not everyone is a fan of Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga's long hair
CHICAGO — Last year, Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga wowed fans when he took the mound at Wrigley Field for Chicago's home opener before going on to have a stellar season — Imanaga's first in the majors. The pitcher, also known as the 'Throwing Philosopher,' went 15-3 for the Cubs in 2024, racking up 174 strikeouts to go along with a 2.91 ERA. The 31-year-old had previously played professionally in Japan from 2016 to 2023. In the States, Imanaga soon became a fan favorite not only for how well he pitched, but also for his charisma, sense of humor, and his long, flowing hair. Watch 'NBC Nightly News' tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT. 'You're saying I have the best hair?' a laughing Imanaga told NBC News through a translator when asked about his free-flowing locks. 'My teammates, if I'm drying my hair, if I'm combing my hair, they compliment me, telling me I have beautiful hair,' Imanaga said. 'But my mom and my friends are like, it's probably time to cut your hair.' It's not only the hair that's helped Imanaga endear himself to the Wrigley faithful. During his rookie year, the pitcher decided on 'Chelsea Dagger' as his walk-up song, a tune more famously known in Chicago as the goal song for the NHL's Blackhawks, dating back well over a decade to the hockey team's heyday. 'When I first got to the Cubs, I think a lot of the fans were, 'Who is this pitcher?'' Imanaga said. 'And so for me, it was really important to get acclimated with the team, with the fans. What was important was to pick something that all the Chicago fans love.' Imanaga's countryman, outfielder Seiya Suzuki, employs a similar ethos when asked about his favorite ballpark food, saying he would have to go with hot dogs, 'especially' considering the team he plays for. Suzuki joined the Cubs in 2022 after a nine-year career in Japan, and he and Imanaga have since played key roles in helping turn around the team's fortunes. After back-to-back losing seasons, Chicago posted two winning records in each of the last two years. Suzuki and Imanaga have become global stars in the process and are part of a growing Japanese presence in Major League Baseball. In April, the Cubs opened the season in Tokyo against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who feature three Japanese-born players in Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. 'When I was younger, I watched baseball in the U.S., and I thought it was really cool,' Suzuki said. 'So if when I'm playing and the fans in Japan, even if it's one extra person gets to watch, and they want to come to the U.S. to enjoy baseball or something like that, I think that'd be great.' While both Suzuki and Imanaga have pushed the right buttons with their home fans, Chicago's current objective is to get Imanaga back on the mound. He hasn't started a game since May 4, when he left a start against the Brewers with a hamstring injury. The Cubs placed Imanaga, whose jersey is the team's most popular this season, on the 15-day injured list the next day. He's currently progressing toward a return in early June, ramping up his rehab with some bullpen work.
