In a shocking development, the Chicago Cubs declined their three-year, $57 million team option to retain left-handed starting pitcher Shota Imanaga. Imanaga did have a $15 million player option if the club declined, but he declined as well, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The 2025 free agent class had its questions, but adding Imanaga makes it instantly more interesting. The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be big players in free agency once again this year, so could Imanaga now be on their radar?
The Phillies have been looking for a reason to dive into the Japanese market, and Imanaga could be a great way to kick that off.
Phillies could have another chance at Shota Imanaga this winter
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Phillies had interest in Imanaga before the 2024 season (subscription required) when he was originally posted from the NPB in Japan to MLB. They also got a look at him during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Imanaga eventually landed with the Cubs, but now the Phillies have another chance to sign him if they so choose.
The other Japanese star pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, was also posted that same offseason and was reportedly offered more money from the Phillies (subscription required) than the Dodgers, but he picked Los Angeles in the end. The Phillies were rumored to have pivoted to Imanaga as a result but were unable to land him either.
Imanaga is now available again this winter after a surprising turn of events right before the beginning of free agency on Thursday. The 32-year-old just wrapped up his second season stateside after spending eight seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan.
In 2025, he pitched to a 9-8 record, 3.73 ERA, and accrued 117 strikeouts in 144 2/3 innings. Imanaga battled some injuries this past season but is only one year removed from a 2.91 ERA and a fifth place NL Cy Young finish in 2024.
According to Spotrac, Imanaga is valued at just over $30 million a year. The Phillies would have to do some reshuffling with the roster if that were the case, but with Ranger Suárez hitting free agency, the reasoning would be understandable. The Phillies would add another lefty and be able to throw him in the mix of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo.
Imanaga would be another notable contract on the books for the Phillies, but it’s like the adage goes, you can never have too much starting pitching. Imanaga would add depth, personality, and, most importantly, another level of dominance to the Phillies pitching staff. They missed him the first time, but it doesn’t hurt to try again.
AloJapan.com