Two months after the stunning decision to fire David Ross and make Craig Counsell the highest-paid manager in the game, the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday finally did something else, reaching an agreement with Shota Imanaga on a four-year, $53 million contract, according to league sources with knowledge. With the complex deal. The Cubs made the deal official Thursday morning, but did not disclose terms.
After the 2025 and 2026 seasons, the Cubs will have an option to extend Imanaga's contract to five years, which would bring the total value of the deal to $80 million. If the Cubs decline their option after the second or third season, Imanaga will have the option of becoming a free agent. Initially, Imanaga's deal includes a limited no-trade protection (four teams) that would expand to a full no-trade clause if the club exercises an option to extend the contract to five years. The contract also includes escalators attached to the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards.
Cubs officials prefer to work at their own pace and away from their internal evaluations, with little regard to how this deliberate approach plays out among fans and the media. Until the Imanaga deal, the Cubs had not committed a single dollar to a major league free agent this winter. Jed Hoyer's group have not executed a deal to improve an 83-win side that collapsed at the end of last season.
The Cubs still have financial flexibility, trade prospects and several holes on their roster. Think of Imanaga as the opener for an offseason that could spill over into spring training, given the number of Scott Boras prospects who fit well with Chicago, such as Cody Bellinger, Rhys Hoskins, and Matt Chapman.
Thursday's looming deadline galvanized Hoyer, who took a business trip to Japan in September and needed a starter to replace Marcus Stroman. Imanaga, 30, had to make a decision and complete all necessary steps before the 45-day deployment period closed. Imanaga spent the previous eight seasons with the Yokohama DNA Bay Stars, gaining more fame by helping Japan win the World Baseball Classic last year. The Cubs will pay a publishing fee of about $10 million to the former Imanaga club in Nippon Professional Baseball. ESPN and USA Today first reported the agreement.
The Cubs know there will be an adjustment period for Imanaga, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound left-handed pitcher. It took Seiya Suzuki parts of the past two seasons before the Cubs outfielder fully acclimated to the new routine, major league pitching, and many off-field challenges.
Imanaga isn't ranked as a starter at the top of the league, but the Cubs are always looking for more depth and different ways to bolster their pitchers' skills. This is a team with multiple Gold Glove defenders, a solid game-planning system and a manager with a track record of out-performing prospects.
However, the consultant left the Milwaukee Brewers to do more with more. The Cubs must still re-sign Bellinger or find another left-handed hitter to replace stretches of his MVP-level production. Even if Bellinger eventually returns to the team, the offense could still use another hitter. The front office needs to give the advisor more options and different appearances outside of work.
Imanaga's deadline coincided with the lead-up to the Cubs' convention this weekend at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. Signing Imanaga is a big step towards having a reliable starter for all 162 games next season. This is one way to compete in a weak division and qualify for the expanded playoffs.
Justin Steele is a Cy Young Award nominee. Kyle Hendricks is the only player left from the 2016 World Series team. Jameson Taillon is supposed to be the guy who gets a four-year, $68 million contract. Javier Assaad is a valuable swing man. Jordan Weeks is a first-round pick who impressed during his major league debut. Cade Horton is one of the best prospects in baseball. Drew Smiley is an accomplished left-hander with over 1,000 innings of experience. Hayden Wisneski is talented but still searching for consistency.
Imanaga is largely unknown, which means this couldn't be the Cubs' biggest move of the offseason.
(Top Image: Eric Espada/Getty Images)
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