Cubs Finally Sign a Top Free Agent

The Chicago Cubs have finally signed a top free agent this offseason. According to multiple reports, the Cubs have agreed to a deal with 30-year-old starting pitcher Shota Imanaga.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first broke the news of the two sides coming to an agreement, while New York Post reporter Jon Heyman later confirmed that the Cubs have indeed secured a contract with the Japanese lefty. Imanaga, whose 45-day window to sign a deal with an MLB closed this Thursday, still has to complete his physical to officially to sign with the Cubs.

Imanaga has had a fantastic career pitching in Japan, recording a 3.18 ERA in 1002.2 innings, while posting a 1.12 WHIP, averaging a little more than nine strikeouts per nine innings and 2.5 walks per nine.

Terms of Imanaga’s contract with the Cubs have not yet been revealed. In recent weeks, there was speculation that the lefty was seeking more than $100 million after his fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto cashed in on large contracts with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, as Imanaga got closer to his deadline to sign, the favorites to sign him appeared to be shying away from his demands and even the Cubs were labeled as somewhat of a long shot to sign Imanaga within the last 10 days.

While we wait to see how much the Cubs needed to lock up the left-handed starter, you can assume that Imanaga will end up topping Kodai Senga’s deal with the New York Mets that was worth $75 million over five years. Senga signed last offseason, when the Cubs were also a finalist for the Japanese right-hander.

The Cubs have now filled in the starting rotation spot that was left vacated by Marcus Stroman, who surprisingly opted out of the final year of his three-year contract with the Cubs at the start of free agency. Stroman is still available.

Once Imanaga is officially signed, the Cubs starting rotation depth will look like this:

Cubs Starting Rotation Depth
Justin Steele
Shota Imanaga
Jameson Taillon
Kyle Hendricks
Javier Assad
Jordan Wicks
Drew Smyly
Hayden Wesneski

Plus, right-handed prospects Ben Brown and Cade Horton may also earn a ticket to the majors for the Cubs in 2024. Yet, the Cubs may still look to add to their rotation, as they have been linked to veteran lefty Jordan Montgomery, who is coming off a World Series run with the Texas Rangers.