The destination of Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga (31), who challenged the American Major League Baseball (MLB), has been decided. It's the Chicago Cubs, not the San Francisco Giants, who were initially thought to be the favorites.

Bob Nightingale, a reporter for the U.S. media outlet USA Today, posted on his social networking site on Tuesday (June 10), "The Chicago Cubs have agreed to terms with Shota Imanaga. He will undergo a medical examination in Chicago on the 11th. If nothing unusual is found in the medical test, the contract with the Cubs will be formalized."

An unexpected destination. Imanaga was strongly linked to San Francisco at the last minute this offseason. Earlier in the day, MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, reported that "Imanaga's decision is imminent. The San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels are among the finalists. At this point, San Francisco is emerging as the favorite, with one source saying, 'All signs point to San Francisco.'"

Before the news of Imanaga's move to the Cubs broke, New York Post columnist John Heyman wrote on social media, "San Francisco has given up on Imanaga. The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are actively pursuing Imanaga." The Cubs ultimately beat out the Red Sox.

The exact terms of the deal are not yet known. According to local reports, Imanaga's contract is worth more than $100 million ($131.7 million).

Starting pitchers have been treated well in Major League Baseball free agency this year. Imanaga's contract was already expected to exceed $100 million. "Imanaga is expected to get more than the five-year, $75 million deal Senga Kodai signed with the New York Mets last year," MLB.com wrote, "but less than what Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery will get. San Francisco missed out on Ohtani and Yamamoto. Imanaga is not at the same level as them. But they don't want to miss out on another quality starter."

Imanaga attempted to make it to the majors via the posting system (sealed bid) this offseason, but the clock ticked on the free-agent market, with "biggest names" Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto remaining undetermined. Behind them, the rest of the semi-professional pitchers were unable to negotiate.Imanaga has already received interest from a number of major league teams. The San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, and others were among the favorites. Because he came through the posting system, there was a deadline for negotiations. The deadline to negotiate Imanaga's post was 7 a.m. on Dec. 12, and in a dramatic twist, the Cubs were the eventual winners.

If Imanaga successfully completes his medical, an official announcement from the Cubs is expected soon. If so, he will become the third Japanese player to join the major leagues this offseason. Previously, Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined the Los Angeles Dodgers and Yuki Matsui joined the San Diego Padres. Imanaga joins Seiya Suzuki, a Japanese slugger who made his Major League debut in 2022. The Cubs are expected to field a five-man starting rotation this season with Imanaga, Kyle Hendricks, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Javier Asadro.

Imanaga was selected first overall by the Yokohama DeNA Basestars in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) First-Year Player Draft. He went on to pitch in 165 games over eight seasons in the NPB, starting in 2016, posting a 64-50 record with a 3.18 ERA. In 2023, he appeared in 22 games and threw 148 innings, posting a 7-4 record with a 2.80 ERA. He also struck out 174 batters.

He also pitched well in international competitions. He is a familiar face to Korean fans. He pitched for his country in the 2017 Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC), 2019 Premier 12, and 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). At the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Tokyo, Japan, last March, he was the second pitcher behind Darvish in Japan's game against South Korea. He impressed the Korean fans with three innings of three-hit ball (one home run), striking out four and walking one. Park hit a solo home run against Imanaga and then started the final game against the United States, pitching two innings of four-hit ball (one homer), striking out four and walking one to help his team win the title. 카지노사이트

With Imanaga's destination set, Ryu's time appears to be running out. That's because his potential competitors are making their own moves. Most recently, Sean Manaea, who had been labeled as one of the top contenders for Ryu's starting job, headed to the New York Mets. On July 7, John Heyman of the New York Post reported on social media that "Sean Manaea, 32, has signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the New York Mets. The deal includes an opt-out clause after the 2024 season, which allows a player to opt out of his contract and become a free agent."The New York Post claims that the Mets are also keeping an eye on Imanaga. "The New York Mets are continuing to make contact with Shota Imanaga, another left-hander," the outlet reported, "Imanaga is reportedly seeking a contract worth an average of $100 million per year. However, teams are also concerned about the shoulder surgery he underwent in 2020, and his pitching style has raised concerns that he may allow more home runs in the MLB, which could push his price tag even lower."

Jim Bowden, a columnist for The Athletic, listed the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs as the remaining teams in the race for Imana, with the Cubs ultimately winning.

The Giants bolstered their outfield and offense this offseason by signing Lee to a six-year, $113 million deal, while trading outfielder Mitch Haniger and pitcher Anthony Desclafani to the Seattle Mariners for 2021 American League Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, 33. It was a two-for-one trade that sent two players and received one. The A's now have a starting rotation of Logan Webb, Ray, Alex Cobb, and Ross Stripling. However, Ray underwent elbow ligament reconstruction (Tommy John surgery) last May and is expected to return as early as the All-Star break. Cobb, who underwent hip surgery, could be available in June.

Criticism has been mounting against San Francisco. After all, the Giants have done nothing this offseason except sign Lee Jeong-hoo. On January 1, CBS Sports gave the Giants a grade of C in its midseason evaluation of all 30 major league teams. CBS Sports graded the Giants on a five-point scale from A to D to F, with C being the harshest grade. "The Giants continue to struggle to land top-tier free agents, and they're failing. The Giants' only successful signings were South Korean outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee and catcher Tom Murphy," and "The Giants' hiring of manager Bob Melvin should be considered a signing. They should be ashamed of themselves. The Giants need to finish this winter strong if they want to be a real contender for a wild card spot in 2024."

"Shota Imanaga is the most notable free agent San Francisco missed out on this offseason," said NBC Sports Bay Area on the same day, "but the Giants didn't just miss out on Imanaga, they also missed out on fellow Japanese stars Otani and Yamamoto.But we also lost Otani and Yamamoto. Watching them join rival teams was a huge blow," he wrote. "San Francisco signed Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract, but it's clear the Giants need to make more moves to keep up with the National League West powers Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 season and beyond. (San Francisco signed Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract last month, but it's clear more moves must be made to keep up with the powerhouse Dodgers in the NL West in 2024 and beyond)." "San Francisco is still linked to other free agents like Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman and Marcus Stroman. As this offseason progresses, San Francisco will hope to make at least one more big signing."