The Chicago Cubs announced Thursday that they have signed Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga, signed from the Central League’s DeNA BayStars, to a four-year contract.
The 30-year-old starting pitcher, who led the league with 174 strikeouts in 148 innings last year, will speak at a news conference in Chicago on Friday.
$53 million over four seasons for the 30-year-old baseball player
MLB.com reports, citing a source, that the contract guarantees $53 million over four seasons, but after the 2025 and 2026 seasons, the Cubs have the option to extend the contract to five years and a total of $80 million.
If the Cubs decline a 2028 option in either season, Imanaga has the right to free agency, officials said.
The Cubs are expected to pay the BayStars a transfer fee of $9,825,000.
Imanaga went 7-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 22 games last season. He was also the starter and winning pitcher for Japan in the final of the 2023 World Baseball Classic against the United States.
With his signing with the Cubs, Imanaga joins his compatriot Seiya Suzuki, who has played in the outfield for the team since 2022.
Imanaga, who was selected by the BayStars in the first round of the 2015 Nippon Professional Baseball Draft out of Komazawa University, had a career record in Japan of 64-50 with a 3.18 ERA in 165 games over eight seasons, all with the Yokohama-based club.
On June 7, 2022, Imanaga threw a no-hitter in an interleague game against the Nippon Ham Fighters at the Sapporo Dome.
Also on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays announced they had signed Japanese pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training.
The announcement came on the final day of the 45-day negotiation period for the 29-year-old right-hander, who was signed by the Nippon Ham Fighters.
Uwasawa pitched the most 170 innings in the Pacific League and went 9-9 with a 2.96 ERA in 24 games last year. In nine seasons, all spent with the Fighters, he went 70-62 with a 3.19 ERA in 173 games.
2024-01-13 14:55:00
#Cubs #announce #signing #Japanese #lefthander #Imanaga
