Cubs agree to deal with Japanese star Imanaga

*Photo from Bleed Cubbie Blue*

   The north side of Chicago is on the board. The Chicago Cubs and LHP Shota Imanaga have agreed to a 4 year, $53 million contract, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. The Cubs have confirmed the agreement.

   The contract is a complex one for both the player and the team. After the 2025 and 2026 seasons, the Cubs have the option to extend the deal another year and pay Imanaga $80 million total. If they decline to extend the deal in either offseason, Imanaga has the right to hit free agency again. Incentives are also included in the deal and the Cubs will have to pay a $9.825 million posting fee to Imanaga's NPB team.

   Imanaga spent his 8th season with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2023. He had another strong campaign, posting a 2.80 ERA and 1.054 WHIP, averaging 1.5 walks per 9 innings and 10.6 strikeouts per 9 over 22 starts and 148 innings, including two complete games.

   With the BayStars last season, Imanaga struck out 174 batters to lead the NPB, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto finishing in second. Before the season, Imanaga played for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, throwing 6 innings in the tournament and getting the start in the gold medal game against Team USA, which Japan won.

   Imanaga has a 4 pitch mix, with a splitter, curve, and slider complementing a mid 90s fastball that have led to him racking up strikeouts and limiting walks. According to Sports Info Solutions, Imanaga had a 68 percent strike rate in 2023, which would have placed him in the top 10 among MLB starters.

   The 30 year old Imanaga has spent 8 seasons in Japan's NPB, the top level of baseball in Japan. He has a 3.18 ERA and 1.118 WHIP to his name while averaging 2.5 walks per 9 and 9.2 strikeouts per 9, throwing 13 complete games and 7 shutouts in 165 games, totaling 1,002 2/3 innings pitched. He has 64 wins compared to 50 losses.

   After previously hiring Craig Counsell as their manager, the signing of Imanaga is the first major league addition the Cubs have made this offseason. He becomes the 3rd lefty pitcher in a Cubs rotation that has Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks, and Jameson Taillon locked into rotation spots.