The Chicago Cubs’ offseason lastly has constructive momentum.
The Cubs have reportedly closed in on Japanese left-hander Shōta Imanaga forward of Thursday’s posting deadline. The 30-year-old must cross a bodily earlier than his cope with the Cubs will be finalized, in response to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. It would arrange Imanaga to be launched heading into the Cubs Convention this weekend.
Imanaga would add to the Cubs’ rotation choices, led by a fastball that options distinctive pitch traits which can be anticipated to play effectively in opposition to major-league hitters with the vertical break on the ball.
He spent eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and confirmed elite stuff in the course of the World Baseball Classic final spring.
Imanaga possesses the kind of swing-and-miss stuff the Cubs want so as to add to their rotation. His 29% strikeout fee led NPB in 2023 whereas persistently producing chase. The lefty makes use of a low-90s fastball, a slider that he can manipulate right into a sweeper, a splitter and a curveball whereas often incorporating a cutter and change-up.
He might want to do a greater job of conserving the ball within the park after giving up 18 residence runs in 2023, however his walk-to-strikeout ratio is encouraging. Imanaga issued 24 walks in 148 innings final yr whereas hanging out 188.
The Cubs’ pitching infrastructure can have so much to work with in serving to Imanaga’s transition to MLB.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com