Blue Jays free agent target: Shota Imanaga

The Toronto Blue Jays are going to be in the market to add to their starting rotation this winter. 

With Dylan Cease, José Soriano, Trey Yesavage, and Cody Ponce expected to occupy four of the five rotation spots, the Blue Jays could be looking to the free-agent market to add a left-hander to the group. 

One left-handed pitcher who is set to hit the market is Shota Imanaga. Since leaving Japan, Imanaga has spent three seasons with the Chicago Cubs after originally being signed to a four-year, $53-million contract. 

Following the 2025 season, a clause in Imanaga’s contract allowed the Cubs to extend the deal to five years, a decision they opted against, so the now 33-year-old became a free agent last winter. 

The Cubs countered Imanaga electing free agency by extending him a one-year qualifying offer worth $22.025 million. On November 18, Imanaga accepted the offer to return to the Cubs for the 2026 season. 

Across 32 starts, Imanaga went 11-10 with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Imanaga struck out 174 batters across 174.1 innings pitched, so he’d bring a swing-and-miss ability to the Blue Jays’ rotation. Across his 174.1 frames, Imanaga limited opponents to a .233 average, the 23rd-best mark among all MLB starting pitchers. 

As seen this past season in Toronto, health is never a guarantee when it comes to pitchers. Over his three years, Imanaga made 29, 25, and 32 starts, and his 174.1 frames in 2026 would have trailed only Soriano – who threw 177.1 – among all Blue Jays for innings pitched. 

While Imanaga has failed to reach the level of success he displayed during his rookie campaign, when he went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting, he has still proven to be a reliable arm capable of being at the top of a team’s rotation. 

For his career, Imanaga has made 86 starts and is 35-21 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Imanaga has struck out 465 batters across 492.1 innings and has limited opponents to a .233 average. 

One area of concern for Imanaga has been the long ball, as since debuting, he has allowed 1.70 home runs per nine innings, which could be a concern when pitching regularly in some of the American League East ballparks. 

With no real left-handed options currently within the Blue Jays’ organization, the addition of Imanaga would help bring variation to the roster, and provide another viable starter to the group entering spring training.