Red Sox free agent pitching target Shota Imanaga considered a ‘long shot’ to sign in Boston (report)
Another Red Sox target is likely to sign with another club other than Boston. Stop me if you’ve heard that somewhere before. Baring an unforeseen change, Japanese free agent left-hander Shōta Imanaga is expected to land elsewhere than Beantown.
Imanaga has until Jan. 11 to sign with a major league club and according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Giants appear to be the favorites for the southpaw.
“It’s all pointing to the Giants,” reported Feinsand. “They missed out on [Shohei] Ohtani and [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto, and although Imanaga isn’t on the same level as those guys, they don’t want to miss out again.”
Imanaga is expected to land a five-year deal in free agency and could command close to $100 million when all set and done. If he indeed lands with the Giants, this would be the second big free agent signing this winter.
San Francisco signed outfield Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract. The club also acquired left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray from the Mariners earlier this week. Ray is expected to miss time due to recovering from Tommy John surgery. He could be back on the mound as early as July.
Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ president of baseball operations, confirmed last week that the club has “had conversations” with Imanaga’s reps. He also told reporters that the lefty has “done a really nice job over there and has a pretty active free-agent market.”
On Friday, The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier reported the Red Sox were “lurking” for Imanaga versus being one of the “most involved teams.”
If Imanaga does indeed sign elsewhere, the Red Sox are left still searching for options for their rotation. Left-handers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are still free agents but seem destined for other markets. Boston could pursue the trade route and try and land controllable pitching.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisHenrique
For additional Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, MLB and NFL content follow Beyond the Monster on Twitter @BeyondtheMnstr.
Chris Sale on the last few years with the Red Sox: ‘Best, worst days of my life were there’
Following Chris Sale’s extension he signed after the 2018 season, the left-hander spent the next handful of seasons battling various injuries. Tommy John surgery and freak injuries limited Sale to under 200 innings pitched over four seasons. Sale can now close the book on his Red Sox tenure following the trade that sent him to t…
It’s getting really old.