Cubs make Imanaga signing official with four-year, $53 million deal

Left-hander Shota Imanaga has officially agreed to a four-year deal with the Chicago Cubs worth a reported $53 million.

Multiple outlets reported earlier this week that the Japanese southpaw was headed to the Cubs after eight seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the Central League. He was posted for MLB free agency by the club late last year.

Imanaga’s contract includes a team option to extend the deal to become a five-year, $80 million pact, according to MLB Network.

Left-hander Justin Steele, right-handers Kyle Hendricks and Jameson Taillon and a number of prospects are expected to be in the mix for the starting rotation.

Imanaga, 30, led NPB with 174 strikeouts last season, ahead of new Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who tallied 169 punch-outs. Imanaga went 7-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 2023 as a key cog in the BayStars’ rotation.

During the World Baseball Classic, Imanaga’s fastball clocked between 92-95 mph (about 148 to 153 kph) and he used a “heavy” splitter and curve to help Japan to the title. Imanaga started the final game against the U.S., allowing one earned run in two innings of work. He was the winning pitcher as Samurai Japan secured its third WBC title.

In eight seasons in Japan, Imanaga produced a 3.18 ERA and 1,021 strikeouts in 1,002⅔ innings.