Cubs Reach Tentative Deal With Shota Imanaga
11 months agoThe Chicago Cubs reached a tentative deal with Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga on Tuesday. Imanaga will undergo a physical in Chicago on Thursday before the deal becomes official. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The 30-year-old southpaw had whittled his suitors down to the Cubs and San Francisco Giants but ultimately chose to head to the Windy City after a dominant eight-year run in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. In 148 innings in Japan in 2023, Imanaga had a strong 2.80 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 174 strikeouts. He should immediately be inserted into Chicago's starting rotation for 2024 and beyond. Imanaga's ability to keep the ball out of the air at Wrigley Field will be key to his success in his "rookie" season in 2024.
Source: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
Source: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale