MLB Offseason Round-Up: New Leader In Imanaga Sweepstakes

This is one in a series of daily articles highlighting the latest news and notes from the MLB offseason.

Japanese star Shota Imanaga is one of the top pitchers still available on the free agent market this MLB offseason, and there is reportedly a frontrunner to land him.

According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the San Francisco Giants are currently the favorites to land the 30-year-old. In addition to the Giants, the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are still in the mix.

Imanaga does not have the typical physical presence of an average pitcher with a 5-foot-10 frame. He does, however, have an impressive resumé from his time pitching in the NPB in Japan.

The left-hander is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he went 7-5 with a 2.66 ERA. He struck out 188 batters and walked just 24 across 159 innings pitched.

It would be the second time this winter the Giants made a splash in the foreign market. They previously signed 25-year-old outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year contract out of the KBO in Korea. It would also give them another left-handed starter to go along with the recently-acquired Robbie Ray.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

• The St. Louis Cardinals hired former Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom to their front office.

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