Shota Imanaga’s celebration after striking out Brendan Donovan will likely be shown over and over again for a while.

It was a pure display of excitement and joy after picking up a crucial out in the Cubs’ 5-1 win on Saturday.

But immediately after that, his thoughts weren’t on the significance of the moment.

“I was pretty hungry,” Imanaga admitted through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “So, I was thinking about what kind of food and nutrition I should take after the game. This is my honest thoughts.”

And while he wasn’t sure what exactly he was going to eat — he knew he needed “lots of carbs, lots of proteins”, it’s another funny moment from the Cubs’ ace, who has had a season filled with them. Just the day before, he shared the origins of his new nickname, “Mike Imanaga II” displayed on his locker in the Cubs’ clubhouse.

“It started as a joke around the clubbies and the staff,” Imanaga said. “Even the nameplate, I know it costs money to make, it’s expensive to make, but the fact that the clubbies, the staff that they’ve accepted me, I’m very thankful and it makes me very happy.”

Imanaga isn’t afraid to wear his emotions on his sleeve.

During that crucial at-bat against Donovan in the 7th inning, the lefty thought he had picked up the strikeout on the 5^th pitch of the at-bat, when he threw a 93-mph fastball that just grazed past the outside edge of the strike zone.

“So that pitch, if it’s a strike, if it’s a ball, that’s not something I can control,” Imanaga said. “I try not to put too much emotion into something that’s out of my control. So, I really just thought about, ‘OK, what to do on the next pitch.’”

Imanaga showed displeasure with not getting the call but wasn’t insulting or angry towards home plate umpire Paul Clemons.

“Somehow he does it in a friendly way, it feels like, but he’s competing at the same time,” manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s hard to do. I know I don’t have that trait. And it’s just fun to watch him do that, that he can kind of stay within himself and keep the competitor going and stay in the moment really well.

“It’s cool to watch.”

Donovan fouled off the next two pitches before striking out on a sweeper down and away. Imanaga credited catcher Yan Gomes, who was confident in his pitch calling, allowing him to throw each pitch with conviction and execute in that crucial moment.

“I’m really thankful for Yan,” Imanaga said. “During that at-bat, he was calling the exact pitches I wanted to throw and I don’t think — if we weren’t on the same page, I wouldn’t think my command would have been as well. So I’m really thankful.”

So, was Gomes thinking about his postgame meal, too?

“What? Really?” Gomes said with a smile when he heard of Imanaga’s comments. “OK Shota, chill out. I have three other innings to think about. I wasn’t thinking about — I don’t know what I was thinking about.

“I was excited that we got Donovan out on a big inning and kept the lead.”