mk49

I watched the video with Imai and Matsuzaka talking on Youtube. I understand at least 70% of what they said in Japanese. Basically, Imai was asked if there's any particular batter he wanted to face in the MLB. He said "Ohtani". Then, they went like "so, you don't want to play for the Dodgers?" Imai was like he'd rather face Shohei than joining his team. About Japanese team mates, what he said was kinda stupid. He's going to have a translator with him, so he can ask the guy, even if there's no Japanese team mate. I don't think he was very serious saying those things. I wouldn't be surprised, if he joined the Dodgers, the Padres or the Cubs. Well, I'd be surprised if Tom pays that much to get Imai, though. The Dodgers have enough SP's, and the Padres has the unknown future. The Cubs probably won't pay much. So, my guess is the Giants or the Mets will sign him. I found there's another Japanese SP posted. He's from the same team as Imai, the Lions. Forgot his name, but he was supposed be the ace of the Lion, before Imai. I guess he's a bit older. He respects Yusei Kikuchi, another ex-Lions pitcher, so he said he wanted to be an Angel. He's probably very cheap. I don't think the Cubs have any interest in him.

I agree. Ben could be good with the third pitch. He started throwing changeups. If he can improve the changeups, that would help.

Well, if Shota bounces back next year, every Cubs fan would be happy. Let's just hope that's going to happen. If Shota pitches like before the injury, including 2024 and Jamo pitches like the 2nd half of the last season, and they are #4 and #5 of the rotation (after Steele comes back, or they can have a 6 SP rotation), that would be a very good rotation. Somebody that they're going to sign (Cease, Valdez, Ryan, King, Imai or whoever or not😁), Horton, Boyd, Steele, Shota and Jamo. Then, Rea, Assad and Brown can be bullpen guys. Another guy I really hope him to bounce back is Hodge. Then, Palencia and one or two lefty, maybe Pomerantz? I know I'm being very optimistic, but you know a fan needs to dream about it. The decline thing about Shota came fast and not for very long period of time, before the season/post season ended. As Tommy said, it was just a matter of time, but they just ran out of time with the season. I really hope he's right about that. I guess Shota really loves Chicago and the Cubs. I think he's not just saying it.

I like Shota, and I enjoyed reading this. This is more or less what I was thinking about his performance at the end of the season. I hope Tommy is right, and Shota will perform well next year. https://www.mlb.com/news/shota-imanaga-returns-to-cubs-after-accepting-qualifying-offer

Was it Nate Pearson?😄

I don't know what you meant. I'm sure the Cubs people knew that he went to Florida for some help or hope. If you're talking about my guess about his mechanics, I would say this.. His ERA before the White Sox game was 2.40. He looked really bad against the Sox (I mean his 4 seam wasn't even 90mph, if I remember correctly), so they or Shota really tried to fix it. That screwed up something + maybe, fatigue. That's my guess. He never pitched well after that game, and they didn't have time to correct it, even though they really tried. If they could rest him for an extra week, the thing might have been different. Who knows? And, again, I'm sure the Cubs know that something went wrong after that game. And, I hope that they believe they can fix it. Otherwise, they didn't offer him the QO. Those are my guesses, and nobody knows for sure. Only thing I know for sure is that his arm angle was lower in 2025 than 2024, and he threw more sweepers in 2025. In the video, his arm angle was higher than his 2024. I'm not saying he's going to be better next year, but I'm hoping he's gonna be better, because he already accept the QO, and he's a cub for another season. What else can I hope for?😀

I agree with you. I like Cease, and he's good. People like him, because his pitching style, the velocity and the K's. But, considering how many games he pitched in the last 5 years, I think he will either get injured, or his velo will go down soon. And, his ERA has been relatively high throughout his career, except for one season. He walks a lot, and he rarely pitches 7 innings/game last year. I don't think he's worth a long contract, which he will likely to get. If the Cubs can get him 3~4yr, $28M AAV, that would be great, but it won't happen. I don't think the Cubs will go for a top free agent SP, after Shota accepted the QO, but Valdez is probably the best guy to get. Otherwise, just do a trade. If the Tom/Jed are serious about winning and the future, they would go for Imai, but I don't think that's gonna happen. Michael King is kind of a gamble, just like Boyd was. But, King might have better potential (and cheaper) than Cease. That's a big "IF" he stays healthy, though. He only pitched great as a SP for one season. But, he looked really good last year.

I just found this. Shota went to a pitching lab in Florida, right after the Brewers series. Looks like his arm angle is quite a bit higher in this video. I think his arm angle and mechanics were screwed up towards the end of the season/post season. Maybe, he adjusted for better sweepers, and messed up the others? I don't know. I really hope he bounces back. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQRly40gPGA/ At least, he's trying to get better, which is good.

Yeah, I can see that. If they don't really go for another SP, a few good bullpen guys and a Tucker replacement, it would be basically the same team - Tucker + Steele. We can hope for those younger guys like PCA, Busch, Shaw, Cassie and Mo improving offensively. Guys like Boyd, Jamo and Steele will stay healthy, and a few guys like Hodge and Imanaga will bounce back. Then, they can do a bit better than 500. Either way, the next season will be the last with Seiya, Happ, Nico and Dansby together. I really want them to extend Nico.

I like Shota, and I'm hoping he's going to bounce back. Up until the White Sox game, his ERA was 2.40. Something was definitely wrong with him there. Since that game, he never pitched that well. My guess is they tried to fix him, and probably screwed up his mechanism. Now, they/he have time to fix it. Most likely, they won't get Cease, Valdez or Imai. If they can get Joe Ryan or somebody through a trade, the rotation should be very decent with extra depth. Rea and Assad could be relievers. They may trade Assad.

For free agents, I would say (I think it'll be easier to find one through a trade.) 1. Tatsuya Imai 2. Framber Valdez 3. Dylan Cease 4. Michael King 5. Ranger Suarez My concerns are like this. - Michael King: In September, Shota gave up 5 HR's (10.2 innings) in two games against the Mets and the Reds. In the same month, against the same teams, King gave up 6 HR's (only 8 innings). Both Mets and Reds were under the "must win" situation. I like King, and I think he would be great, if he stays healthy. But, I just don't get why he gave up more HR's than Shota against those two teams, two starts in a row for both guys. Maybe, he just came back from injury? BTW, something must have happened to Shota right before the White Sox game. His ERA was 2.40,, before the game. He never pitched well, after that game. - Dylan Cease: Yes, he pitched many games in the last 5 years or so. Maybe, it's about time for him to get injured, or slow down? He was good, but not great in 2025. He walks quite a bit, so he doesn't pitch many innings, when you consider how many games he started. What would happen, when his velocity goes down? I've heard he's looking for 5 ~7 years, and I think that's quite long. My guess is the Cubs won't offer him more than 5yrs. Then, a few other team offer him something like 6yr, $180m, which to me is a gamble. I don't know. Only time can tell. - Tatsuya Imai: This is the guy I want. He has never pitched in the MLB, but based on what Shota, Yamamoto and many other Japanese SP's like Darvish, Nomo, Senga.... did in their first season in the MLB, Imai could be a good pick. - Framber Valdez: I think he will fit the Cubs well. His personality is questionable, though. - Ranger Suarez: I kind of like him, but he's another 91mph lefty, - Brandon Woodruff: I don't know about this guy. He's great, when he pitches, but I feel like he's on IL half the time. He's getting older, too. If he's cheap, it'd be worth taking a chance, like Boyd. I don't think it's easy to a good SP, especially, when Ricketts acts like Ricketts.

Realistically, Shota is probably looking for 2yr, $36 ~ $38M. And, he may get that kind of offer earlier than Imai, Cease or whoever that the Cubs want.

Thank you.

OK, my bad. I thought he was posted, but they said "begins the posting process." Either way, if the team approved the posting, it's a matter of time.

I just found Scott Boras is his agent.

I want to keep Keller. The dude said he wanted to stay, and he was good. Unfortunately, I started feeling like the Cubs won't sign anybody "top end", unless it's a 1 yr contract. Maybe, there's an exception, but not many. Hopefully, I'm wrong on this.

Seems like Imai just got posted. I watched some Youtube videos, and he looked good. He could be a good No2 guy in most rotations. For 2025, ERA: 1.92 Whip: .89 (best in the league) K: 178 in 163.2 innings Seems like his 4 seam velo is 95 ~ 98mph. His slider, which moves kinda like a splitter, looks good. He also has a weird pitch that I don't know what it is, a change up, screwball or a different slider that goes away from a left handed hitters.? What do you think? I want the Cubs to try to get him. 17K in this, no walk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdfT6gHx_U8 A complete game with 12K https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlN5JbsM7FA

I just found this, and some of them are questionable. Projecting the 13 MLB Qualifying Offer Free Agents https://www.spotrac.com/news/_/id/3062/projecting-the-13-mlb-qualifying-offer-free-agents Dylan Cease: 7yr, $210M (This is too much or too long for Cease, and if it actually happens, no way the Cubs would pay that much for that long.) Shota: 4yr, $75M (I think Shota will take 2 or 3 years with $17~18M AAV, and I think there will be a team or two that offer that kind of contract. I don't think he's going back to Japan. Basically, he declined the player option, 2yr, $30.5M from the Cubs. What he's looking for is at least 2yr, and a little more than $15M AAV. I'll be really surprised if a team gives him a 4yr contract without a team option after the 1st or the 2nd year. My guess is 2yr, $35M for Shota should be reasonable for a few teams, and he will probably take the offer.) For Tucker, I just don't understand why some teams will offer him a 10yr contract, but I guess that's what he will probably get.

I watched him only once in 2025, so I don't know what was wrong with him. His stats look bad, although he looked better in Sep. A few articles I read today said the Cubs is one of the destinations for Zac, which does make sense. Personally, I don't want him. Maybe, he will pitch really well next year, but this year didn't look good at all, way worse than Shota who was fine in the 1st half of the season.

Okamoto looks like much better fit to our team than Murakami. He's a RHH, unlike Murakami, and he's supposed to be able to defend 1B, 3B and outfields, although I don't know how good he is defensively. Offensively, his numbers look a little worse than Seiya, when he was in Japan. Seiya was a little younger, when he came over, too. Out of those Japanese guys, I want Imai the most. Seems like he could be No 2 guy in a rotation for many teams. Yeah, maybe, we get lucky to find a SP like Shota in 2024 and Boyd in 2025. Yes, keep Keller. Not sure if Robert Suarez will be too expensive for the Cubs, and he's getting old. I hope Hodge will bounce back, and Palencia will perform well next year. For other bullpen guys, maybe, they can find guys like Thielbar, Pomeranz, Keller type, if we're lucky.

Thanks for the link. Here's Fan Graphs version. They don't say which team will likely pick them, though. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2026-top-50-mlb-free-agents/

Personally, I think the projection you saw is low. That said, I see your point. But, I don't want Jamo to be traded. What I meant by "try to sign 1 or 2 SP's" is that one good one (that's a must), and one decent one. Not an easy task, though.

Agreed. I still think it's going to be hard to get one of the top 4 or 5 (if you include Imai) free agent SP's, though. Trading for one should be easier. Either way, the Cubs should, and I think will "try" to sign one or two SP's, even if Shota stays.

It didn't surprise me. I thought there's a little over 50% chance that the Cubs would do it. I don't know if Shota will accept it, though. Most likely, he could get offers that have a little lower AAV, like $17m, but multi year, 2 or 3 years.

Talking about $6m option for Rea, right? I agree with that.