Boston Red Sox Insider Details the Offer Shota Imanaga Rejected Before Joining the Chicago Cubs

The Boston Globe's Alex Speier unveiled the contact the Red Sox offered Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga, and it looks a lot different than the one he accepted from the Cubs.

Before he signed with the Chicago Cubs, Shota Imanaga reportedly fielded a much different offer from the Boston Red Sox.

Imanaga officially signed a four-year deal worth $53 million with the Cubs on Wednesday. However, Chicago will have the option to extend Imanaga's deal to five years after the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

The contract would be worth $80 million if the Cubs elect to go down that path.

Imanaga was offered more short-term guaranteed money from the Red Sox, though, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

Per Speier, Boston offered Imanaga a two-year deal with two additional vesting years. Despite the Red Sox giving Imanaga a higher average annual salary in those first two years, the lefty chose the Cubs' offer instead.

The Red Sox bid for SP Shota Imanaga was for two years with two additional vesting years, according to @alexspeier.

The two years had a higher AAV than Chicago’s first two years but the Cubs gave him a longer deal with more guaranteed money. pic.twitter.com/Xz49LW4V9c

— Boston Sports Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) January 12, 2024

Imanaga was one of the most highly sought-after pitchers on the free agent market before he put pen to paper this week. The San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels and New York Mets were among the other teams on his list of suitors.

The southpaw went 7-5 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.019 WHIP and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings in 24 appearances as a member of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars last season. Over the course of his professional career – which dates back to 2016 – Imanaga is 74-55 with a 2.96 ERA, 1.076 WHIP and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Without Imanaga, the Red Sox will have to find another free agent or trade target to round out their rotation. Boston dealt longtime ace Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves in December, and are now down to one left-handed pitcher on their projected Opening Day roster – reliever Brennan Bernardino.

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