Getty Shōta Imanaga
After a very slow start to the offseason, the Chicago Cubs are looking to make up for lost time. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Cubs have finally made a move in free agency, reaching a tentative deal with Japanese pitcher Shōta Imanaga on January 9, pending physical.
“Shōta Imanaga is scheduled to undergo his physical on Wednesday in Chicago ahead of the Thursday deadline,” Nightengale elaborated on social media, referencing Imanaga’s 45-day posting window that expires on January 11. “The deal becomes official with the Chicago Cubs once he passes his physical with a press conference on Friday.”
Through his eight career seasons with the Yokohama Bay Stars in Nippon Professional Baseball, Imanaga went 64-50 with a 3.18 ERA. Last season, the left-hander posted a 2.66 ERA with 188 strikeouts in 159 innings, striking out 29.5% of the batters he faced. He was a crucial part of Japan’s success at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, pitching the first two innings in the team’s gold-medal game win over the United States.
On the mound, Imanaga heavily favors his low-90s fastball, which he threw around 60% of the time in 2023. He also utilized his slider for just over 15% of pitches, which generated a strikeout rate close to 40%.
Once official, Imanaga will join the Cubs’ starting rotation alongside fellow southpaw Justin Steele and right-handers Kyle Hendricks, Jameson Taillon, and Javier Assad.
“Imanaga immediately becomes a really important pitcher in their starting rotation.”
@jonmorosi weighs in on Shōta Imanaga’s reported deal with the Cubs.
What We Know About Shōta Imanaga’s Deal
“Imanaga’s deal with the Cubs, once finalized, will be for multiple years with an average annual value in the $15 million range,” reported MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, implying the Cubs may have secured a more team-friendly deal than earlier expected.
Just days after fellow Japanese free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed a $325 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN’s Jeff Passan predicted Imanaga could also be looking at a nine-figure contract this winter. While it appears that may have been optimistic, Imanaga still likely secured a higher deal than Kodai Senga got from the New York Mets last offseason (five years, $75 million).
MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported on January 9 that Imanaga’s new deal with the Cubs is “complicated,” and if all player and teams options are exercised, its value reaches up to $80 million. That places the 30-year-old’s total contract length at five to six years, with one to two seasons guaranteed.
Shota Imanaga Cubs deal is complicated and includes player/team options and escalators that could boost it to way up to $80M. Guarantee suggested to be somewhere around $30M for two years by @JimBowdenGM @jonmorosi 1st said $15M/year
Will the Cubs Make More Moves This Winter?
Having lost ace Marcus Stroman when he opted out his contract at the end of the 2023 season, the Cubs had an important spot to fill in their starting rotation, so it’s understandable that Imanaga is the team’s first move in free agency. Still, there are other holes in Chicago’s roster, and more acquisitions are likely on their way.
The Cubs are yet to replace left-handed slugger Cody Bellinger, who declined his mutual option at the end of 2023, leaving the team without a clear option for first base. Bellinger is still on the market and Chicago has been repeatedly named as the frontrunner to secure him on a new deal, with Nightengale reporting on January 7 that they’re the only team who’ve shown “serious interest.”
Chicago has also been linked to free agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins, which Morosi called “one of the clearest fits that I see in all of Major League Baseball right now.” Hoskins is a power-hitter who can play both designated hitter and first base, ticking a lot of boxes for the Cubs.
Until their deal with Imanaga is official, the Cubs remain yet to spend a single dollar in free agency this winter. With high hopes of a playoff run and gaps in their roster, perhaps this signing will open an acquisition floodgate for the Windy City.