By Hanam Jik Reporter = Japanese left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga (30, Yokohama DeNA Basestars), who started the final game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) against the United States, is expected to try to make it to Major League Baseball through a posting (non-tender) at the end of this season.
“According to sources, the Yokohama club has decided to allow Imanaga to post,” MLB.com reported on Sunday.
Imanaga was a key pitcher for Japan at the WBC in March, appearing in three games and allowing two runs in six innings.
He pitched three innings of one-run ball in relief of Darvish Yu (San Diego Padres) against South Korea and started the final game against the United States, allowing one run in two innings of four-hit ball.
During the WBC, Imanaga’s fastball topped out at 152 mph and averaged 150 mph. In addition to his fastball, he throws a slider, changeup, and curveball.
According to MLB.com, “Imanaga started the 2023 season by winning the WBC title with the United States in March. He could end the year with a big league move.” “Imanaga’s performance in Nippon Professional Baseball and international competition has caught the attention of major league scouts. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and St. Louis Cardinals, among others, could be in the running for Imanaga as they look to bolster their starting staffs.”
Imanaga, who has pitched in Nippon Professional Baseball’s first division since 2016, has compiled a 64-49 record with a 3.19 ERA in 162 career appearances.
This year, he is 7-3 with a 2.81 ERA and 152 strikeouts. With more strikeouts and fewer walks, major league scouts have gotten even better about Imanaga.카지노
Imanaga is known among Japanese fans as the “philosopher on the mound” for his impressive interviews.
In particular, his 2016 interview as a rookie, in which he said, “If you say you’re lucky to win and lose, there’s no further growth,” still resonates today.