No Pinstripes for Shota Imanaga: Why New York Yankees Didn’t Pursue the Japanese Ace

At first, I was absolutely convinced that the Juan Soto trade signaled the return of the legendary Yankees era. I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of Yamasoto. Then, the Yankees capped their offer for Yoshinobu Yamamoto at $300 million. It seemed reasonable. I had always assumed they had a backup plan in place. Initially, it appeared that Shota Imanaga might be the fallback option, but as his free agency gained momentum, seemingly not.

Shota Imanaga’s pitching is dynamic and potent. His main weapon is a strong four-seam fastball, making up 59% of his throws. It’s known for its sharp vertical break, fooling batters with its steady flight. He also uses a slider (16% of the time) and a splitter (12%), the latter being especially tricky for righties at 83.2 mph. Less frequently, Imanaga throws a slow curveball (7%) for a speed change, a cutter (4%) for sideways action, and sometimes a changeup, but that’s just 2% of his game. Come 2024, “The Throwing Philosopher” was all set to enter the United States of America, in the Big Leagues.

Would Shota Imanaga be a good fit in Pinstripes?

Shota Imanaga’s situation with the New York Yankees, before he ended up signing with the Chicago Cubs, was pretty interesting. His track record in the Nippon Professional Baseball League is quite noteworthy. The guy had an impressive 2.96 ERA and a strong strikeout rate. However, the Yankees’ decision not to go for Imanaga makes sense from a strategic perspective. They seemed concerned about his tendency to induce fly balls. Given the layout of Yankee Stadium, especially the shorter right field, this could be a problem. In a park where fly balls can often turn into home runs, a pitcher who frequently causes them could be at a disadvantage, heightening concerns about giving up home runs.

Imanaga’s arsenal, including the four-seamer, with its effective lift, can be great for strikeouts but also risky as it might lead to fly balls. The slider, on the other hand, could have been useful in Yankee Stadium for inducing ground balls.

While the 2x NPB All-Star is undoubtedly a talented pitcher, his style might not have been the ideal fit for the Yankees, considering the specific characteristics of the Bronx.

How much did Shota Imanaga sign for?

Earlier today, Shota Imanaga signed with the Chicago Cubs – the bidding war was between the Red Sox and the Cubs. As reported by Bob Nightengale, Imanaga is still to undergo a physical, which is scheduled for Thursday, 11th January, after which the deal becomes official.

After insider Jon Morosi initially reported an annual $15 million range for Imanaga, Jon Heyman added more details to the contract yet awaiting an official announcement, “Shota Imanaga Cubs deal is complicated and includes player/team options and escalators that could boost it to way up to $80M. Guarantee suggested to be somewhere around $30M for two years.”

Big Yoshinobu Yamamoto snub that fueled potential Shota Imanaga pursuit

In my daydreams, I could almost see Yamamoto, clad in the iconic pinstripes, making his mark at Yankee Stadium. But fate, as it often does, had a different script in mind. Yamamoto chose the star city, a decision I can’t help but understand, even through the veil of my own biases. After all, there he gets to bask in the considerable shadow of Shohei Ohtani. What a privilege it must be, to play second fiddle to a generational talent in a land far from home…

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Forgive me, here I am, letting my jealous side get the better of me, waxing sarcastic about a young player’s dream. It’s just the green-eyed monster talking.

The Yankees, known for their success with Japanese players, seemed like the ideal team for Yamamoto. However, swayed by an offer of $25 million richer, he chose another path. This left a gap that Imanaga, with his promising talent, seemed ready to fill. But as emotions settled, the decision to let go of this opportunity didn’t feel regrettable.

A big void in New York Yankees pitching still

Even after letting Imanaga slip away, the Yankees seem adrift with no clear strategy. Fans are bracing themselves, expecting the team to scavenge through the leftovers of the free agent and trade market. Yet, part of me – too optimistic for my own good and wishing I could be a bit more cynical about this team – can’t shake the feeling that Cashman, who I frankly have little faith in, has something up his sleeve.

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The rumor mill whispers of Dylan Cease and Blake Snell being just within reach. But honestly, I’m bracing for heartbreak. With expectations scraping at rock bottom, anything more than a total flop will feel like a win.