The Chicago Cubs’ offseason finally has positive momentum.
The Cubs have reportedly closed in on Japanese left-hander Shōta Imanaga ahead of Thursday’s posting deadline. The 30-year-old needs to pass a physical before his deal with the Cubs can be finalized, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. It would set up Imanaga to be introduced heading into the Cubs Convention this weekend.
Imanaga would add to the Cubs’ rotation options, led by a fastball that features unique pitch characteristics that are expected to play well against major-league hitters with the vertical break on the ball.
He spent eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and showed elite stuff during the World Baseball Classic last spring.
Imanaga possesses the type of swing-and-miss stuff the Cubs need to add to their rotation. His 29% strikeout rate led NPB in 2023 while consistently generating chase. The lefty utilizes a low-90s fastball, a slider that he can manipulate into a sweeper, a splitter and a curveball while occasionally incorporating a cutter and change-up.
He will need to do a better job of keeping the ball in the park after giving up 18 home runs in 2023, but his walk-to-strikeout ratio is encouraging. Imanaga issued 24 walks in 148 innings last year while striking out 188.
The Cubs’ pitching infrastructure will have a lot to work with in helping Imanaga’s transition to MLB.