The Boston Red Sox never tire of left-handed pitching.
With Payton Tolle, Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suárez, Jake Bennett and others, the team seems to have enough left-handed pitching. But do they?
Ian Browne of MLB.com named left-hander Shota Imanaga a free-agent fit for the Red Sox this offseason.
Could the Red Sox have a five-man starting rotation of just lefties? It would be an absurd thought, but chief baseball officer Craig Breslow could very well do it.
Why Would the Boston Red Sox Sign Imanaga?
The Chicago Cubs signed Imanaga as an international free agent out of Japan in 2024 to a four-year, $53 million contract. After triggering an opt-out, Imanaga turned that into a one-year, $22.025 million deal.
Imanaga was an All-Star in his first season with the Cubs in 2024, recording a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts. In 2025, he recorded a 3.73 ERA in 25 starts.
The 2026 season would prove to be his healthiest season with 32 starts, but Imanaga struggled in the first half with a 4.17 ERA, then lowered it to a 3.77 ERA by the end of the year. Imanaga struggled immensely with the long ball, giving up 35 home runs in 174.1 innings.
Because of his exceptional command, Imanaga didn’t give up as many runs as he could’ve with all of those home runs.
While Imanaga doesn’t have great stuff (average fastball velocity of 91.6 mph per Baseball Savant), he makes up for it with great control. His split-finger is his best pitch, and he uses it to get out hitters regularly.
However, Browne thinks Breslow’s connection to Imanaga will be a major factor in their decision.
“While still with the Cubs’ front office, Breslow did a lot of scouting work on Imanaga and was among his biggest backers,” Browne wrote. “By the time Imanaga opted to sign with the Cubs, Breslow was chief baseball officer for the Red Sox. Perhaps he can land Imanaga this time around. One thing that is clear about Breslow: He never tires of quality left-handed pitching.”
How Would Imanaga Fit?
Crochet (when healthy), Tolle, Bennett and Suárez lead the Red Sox rotation as of now. However, that fifth starter spot is currently up for grabs.
As of now, Brayan Bello holds that spot. But, Breslow has shown in the past how aggressive he is at acquiring players. So, it would not be surprising at all if he makes an external addition to the rotation, leaving Bello as a bulk reliever and spot starter.
The departure of Sonny Gray leaves a big void in Boston’s rotation. While they are well-equipped to handle this, they may need one more starter to complete an elite rotation.
Having Bello as your fifth starter isn’t the worst thing in the world, especially after his second half, when he posted a 2.12 ERA. However, it may behoove the Red Sox to upgrade.
While they still need some thump in the lineup, Breslow may consider a fifth starter to be on his wishlist this offseason.
Boston Red Sox Linked to Free Agent Left-Hander With 3.77 ERA