Report: Imanaga Could Be Mets Backup Plan
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that both the New York Mets and the New York Yankees could be looking at Japanese starter Shōta Imanaga as a backup plan to missing out on fellow Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 25-year-old Yamamoto continued his free agency tour on Thursday by meeting with the Philadelphia Phillies. He previously met with the Yankees, Mets, San Francisco Giants, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Imanaga was officially posted by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in late November, and teams have until Jan. 11 to negotiate with the left-hander. The 30-year-old has spent eight seasons with the BayStars. During the 2023 season, he had a 2.80 ERA over the course of 20 games with a 10.6 K/9 and just 1.5 BB/9.
During the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he pitched in three games, giving up just two earned runs in six innings. He was credited with the win for Team Japan in the WBC Final. During that game, he threw two innings and gave up one earned run, a solo home run to the red-hot Trea Turner.
The two-time All-Star has a 3.18 ERA over the course of his career. His fastball sits around the low 90s and reaches the mid-90s. He also carries a splitter that sits around the mid-80s, a slider that sits low to mid-80s, and a curveball that ranges around 70+ mph.
Here’s a reminder of how the posting fee works (relevant for Yamamoto and Imanaga):
-
- Contract worth less than $25 million: 20% of contract value
- Contract worth $25 million to $50 million: $5 million plus 17.5% of amount over $25 million
- Contract worth more than $50 million: $9.275 million plus 15% of amount over $50 million
MLB Trade Rumors predicted that Imanaga would get five years and $85 million from his new team.
Heyman also notes that the Mets have checked in on free agent right-handed starter Lucas Giolito. We previously mentioned their interest in the former White Sox pitcher.
The post Report: Imanaga Could Be Mets Backup Plan first appeared on Metsmerized Online.