Andrew Buller-Russ
MLB free agency features a lot of interesting pitchers who can help improve a team’s staff during the 2024 season. The class is headlined by Shohei Ohtani and Japanese MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but there’s another arm that baseball fans may not even be aware of, yet he is a familiar face to those who tuned in during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Shota Imanaga was the winning pitcher who started the championship game for Japan against the United States, but now he’s expected to join MLB this offseason.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Imanaga is expected to be posted by the Yokohama Bay Stars by Monday. This will open up a 45-day negotiation window for MLB teams to find a contract suitable for the 5-foot-10 left-handed pitcher.
Imanaga, 30, is a two-time NPB All-Star with strong command of his pitches, including a nasty changeup.
Several teams are expected to get involved in the bidding process for Imanaga, especially those looking for another left-handed arm in their starting rotation. For teams in need of starting pitching who aren’t ready to break the bank for Yamamoto, Imanaga could present a perfect consolation prize this offseason.
