Sh?ta Imanaga has a new favorite landing spot, according to the latest rumors.
Even after top MLB free agents Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December, the offseason is still moving at a snail's pace. Another Japanese player could be the next major free agent to come off the board, though. That dude is left-handed starting pitcher Sh?ta Imanaga.
Imanaga, who was posted by the Yokohama Bay Stars, needs to make a decision soon. His 45-day posting window is set to close on Thursday, January 11 at 5 p.m. ET. According to a January 8 report from MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, there are four teams tabbed as finalists for the southpaw. Those squads include the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs.
Of these four, Feinsand shared that the Giants were perceived as the favorites. "It's all pointing to the Giants," Feinsand's source said. "They missed out on [Shohei] Ohtani and [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto, and although Imanaga isn't on the same level as those guys, they don't want to miss out again."
However, a January 9 report from the New York Post's Jon Heyman says something different. Two of the teams Feinsand mentioned as being in the mix are no longer part of the pursuit. Both the Giants and Angels are out, but the Cubs and Red Sox are still involved.
Update: Hearing now Giants also looking elsewhere so they are not one of the 5 finalists. https://t.co/mHNtOLMSyO
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 9, 2024
Imanaga isn't coming to the States with the same level of hype as Yamamoto — especially since he's five years older — but he's been incredibly effective in Japan. During the 2023 season for the Bay Stars, the southpaw posted a 2.77 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 188 strikeouts in 159 innings. Across eight total seasons and 1,129.2 career innings, Imanaga owns a 2.96 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 1,183 strikeouts.
At the start of the offseason, MLB Trade Rumors predicted that the left-hander would land a five-year, $85 million guarantee. That was already slightly more than the five-year, $75 million contract Kodai Senga agreed to with the New York Mets last winter coming from Japan. But with the way the market has moved, Imanaga's price could be going up.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, his total compensation (not counting the posting fee) could surpass the $100 million mark.
