Photo by Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals reportedly scouted Yokohama DeNA BayStars pitcher Shota Imanaga, according to JapanBall’s Yakyu Cosmopolitan. The Cardinals were joined by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Baystars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball will be posting left-hander Imanaga this offseason, reported John Morosi of MLB.com. The lefty will be able to negotiate with interested MLB teams for thirty days from the time of the official posting. Additionally, if a deal is reached, the signing team will owe money to the Baystars. The amount owed will depend on the size of the contract. The fee is 20 percent of the first 25 million, 17.5 percent of the next 25 million, and 15 percent of anything after that. Obviously, this process can end up being quite expensive.
Impressive Numbers in NPB
The lefty has been impressive in his eight seasons in Japan. In 1,109.2 innings pitched, he has a 2.97 ERA, a 1.073 WHIP, and 1,160 strikeouts. This season, he has continued to pitch well with a 2.65 ERA over 139 innings pitched, compiling 166 strikeouts along the way. Additionally, he’s only walked 21 and has a miniscule 0.993 WHIP. The crafty left-hander has a mid-90’s fastball complemented by a slider, curveball, and change-up.
Recently, Imanaga didn’t disappoint while pitching in front of MLB scouts. The left-handed hurler pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run and struck out 10. He also showed the ability to shine on the big stage, pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year. He allowed only two earned runs over six innings and started the championship game versus the United States.
The Answer to Cardinals’ Pitching Needs Could be in Japan
The Cardinals will likely be linked to nearly all of the top free agent starters due to their glaring need in the rotation. They need to sign three starters and also need to make additions to their bullpen. The duo of Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto should be high on their list of targets. Yamamoto should be the number one target due to being younger in age and being downright dominant. However, Imanaga is no slouch. He will be 30 years old entering the 2024 season and seems to be reaching his prime. A left-hander with the ability to miss bats combined with excellent control would be a welcomed addition to any rotation. The Cardinals front office needs to open the checkbook and add quality pitching, or they’ll find themselves in the exact same position in 2024, at the bottom looking up.
