NPB All-Star Shota Imanaga expected to draw interest from MLB teams on free agency market

Another Japanese pitching star is looking at making a move to MLB, and his name is Shota Imanaga. In a free agency market that has, thus far, seen Japanese pitchers dominate headlines, we can now look forward to seeing one more in 2024.

According to MLB analyst Jon Heyman, Imanaga will be posted by his team, the Yokohama BayStars, on Monday. Under current regulations, NPB clubs notify MLB of a player posting, with the fee determined by any future MLB contracts. Once posted, Imanaga will have 30 days to sign with a big-league club.

"Shota Imanaga is expected to be posted Monday, allowing him to sign as an MLB free agent. Imanaga, an All-Star for the Yokohama Bay Stars, is the lefty known for his changeup and command who won the championship clinching game for Japan over Team USA in the WBC." - Jon Heyman

Like many aces out of Japan, Imanaga relies heavily on breaking pitches. Noted for his particularly nasty changeup, the 30-year old has been one of the most successful starters in NPB over recent decades.

A member of the Yokohama BayStars since 2016, Shota Imanaga has a career record of 64-50, pitching to a 3.18 ERA. In 2023, Imanaga put up a 2.80 ERA across 22 starts. On the BayStars, Imanaga pitched alongside former NL Cy Young Award winner and former Los Angeles Dodger Trevor Bauer.

In March, American fans were able to get a glimpse of Shota Imanaga after he made the start for his nation in the championship game against the USA. A two-time All-Star in NPB, Imanaga also tossed a no-hitter against the Hokkaido Ham-Fighters in June of 2022.

"The DeNA BayStars have officially approved the posting request by Shōta Imanaga." - Mike Mayer

While it is not clear yet which teams will make a play for him, some are touting Shota Imanaga as a potential consolation for fellow NPB ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Expected to ink a big deal with an MLB team this season, the New York Yankees are seen as a prime contender to nail down Yamamoto.

Shota Imanaga is another testament to Japanese pitching excellence

In the past, Japanese baseball was always seen as a lower-grade than that in the MLB. However, that perception is changing fast. With stars like Seiya Suzuki, Masataka Yoshida,Kodai Senga, and Shohei Ohtani all proving they can definitely compete in MLB, Imanaga will, by extension, carry on the excellent play we have seen out of Japan in recent MLB seasons.