CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today have agreed to terms with left-handed pitcher Shōta Imanaga on a four-year major league contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Imanaga, 30, joins the Cubs following eight seasons with the Yokohama Bay Stars of the Japan Central League in which he posted a 64-50 record with 13 complete games, seven shutouts and a 3.18 ERA (354 ER/1,002.2 IP) in 165 games. He struck out 1,021 batters against 280 walks, contributing to a 1.12 WHIP.
In his last three seasons since 2021, Imanaga is 23-13 with six complete games, two shutouts and a 2.69 ERA (123 ER/411.2 IP) in 62 outings, having recorded 416 strikeouts compared to 79 walks with a 1.01 WHIP.
The five-foot 10-inch Imanaga in 2023 recorded a league-leading career-high 174 strikeouts while going 7-4 with a 2.80 ERA (46 ER/148.0 IP) in 22 starts en route to his second career NPB All-Star nod (also 2019). In 2022, he led the Central League among qualified pitchers with a 0.94 WHIP and tied for the lead with two shutouts while going 11-4 with a 2.26 ERA (36 ER/143.2 IP) good for third-best in the league. On June 7, 2022, he tossed a no-hitter against the Nippon Ham Fighters.
Selected by Yokohama in the first round of the 2015 NPB Draft out of Komazawa University in Tokyo, Imanaga was part of the 2023 World Baseball Classic Team Japan squad and started the club’s 3-2 victory in the championship game against the United States.
