The Cubs are making their first big move of the offseason, agreeing to a deal with Japanese lefty Shota Imanaga, pending medical review, sources told MLB Network insider John Paul Morosi on Tuesday night. The club did not confirm this move.
Chicago has had a quiet winter away from hiring coach Craig Counsell, but the Imanaga deal gives them a front-line starter in the rotation. The southpaw joins teammate Seiya Suzuki, who came to the Cubs in 2022 after nine seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Imanaga was drafted by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, allowing him the opportunity to seek a chance in Major League Baseball after eight seasons in the NPB. The deadline for the posting period is set to end on Thursday at 5 PM ET.
Although Imanaga has not received the same level of hype as countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the 30-year-old left-hander is an impressive pitcher in his own right, emerging as a potential No. 2 or No. 3 player in the Majors.
Using a four-pitch combination featuring a mid-90s fastball, a splitter, a slider, and a curveball, Imanaga posted a 3.18 ERA in 1,002 2/3 innings during his NPB career.
That included a 2.53 ERA with 306 strikeouts over 291 2/3 innings over the past two seasons, as he rehabilitated after undergoing left shoulder surgery in 2020, a procedure that forced him to miss the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
MLB fans got a closer look at Imanaga when he pitched for his country in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. After putting in strong performances against South Korea during pool play and against Italy in the quarterfinals, Imanaga started and won the gold medal game against Team USA.
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