Shota Imanaga Free Agency Update: Insider reveals 2 teams 'considering' pitcher if Yoshinobu Yamamoto signs elsewhere

The New York Yankees have already made big moves this offseason, and they have Japanese southpaw Shota Imanaga on their radar in case they fail to land high-caliber Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Apart from the Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, LA Dodgers and Chicago Cubs are also keeping an eye on the Japanese lefty.

However, it's clear as day that this would follow only after Yamamoto's free agency gets a closure. According to Jon Heyman, Shota Imanaga has gotten good interest from the Yankees and the New York Mets, but it will only follow after Yamamoto is acquired by any other team:

"The Yankees are considering Japanese lefty Shota Imanaga if they don’t land Yoshinobu Yamamoto, joining the Mets with interest. The Red Sox, Dodgers and Cubs are among others looking at Imanaga, who’ll wait out the Yamamoto decision," Jon Heyman said in his NY Post article.

Shota Imanaga's scouting report

The 30-year-old hard-throwing lefty spent eight seasons pitching for the Yokohama Baystars in NPB's Central League. After the 2023 season, he was posted by his team and is now garnering interest in the MLB.

His last two seasons in the pros have turned heads in the baseball fraternity. The 5-10, 176 lbs pitched 148.0 innings, posting a stellar ERA of 2.80, compiling 174 strikeouts and 24 walks. The season prior was his best, where he posted a 2.32 ERA in 143.2 innings pitched.

As per the scouting report of SIS, Imanaga's arsenal is as diverse as it is potent, with a high-carry four-seamer with nearly 20 inches of induced vertical break (IVB) at its core. The pitch cuts through the zone while remaining flat, resulting in swings and misses over the top of barrels.

He has multiple pitches to persuade hitters, as Deltagraphs notes that over 35 percent of his pitches were chased in 2023. His pitch arsenal via SIS is as follows:

Fastball, 59%, 91.8 mph
Slider, 16%, 81.5 mph
Splitter, 12%, 83.2 mph
Curveball, 7%, 73 mph
Cutter, 4%, 86.7 mph
Changeup, 2%, 81.5 mph

It remains to be seen where he will be heading for the 2023 season.