Should the Blue Jays pursue Cubs lefty starter to bolster their rotation?

Shota Imanaga is officially on the market, and he stands out as one of the most compelling rotation targets available. For a Blue Jays team that likely just boosted its reputation among free agents, the fit makes a lot of sense. After the Chicago Cubs rejected an option to extend the left-hander’s contract to 2028, he rejected a $15 million player option for next season in turn, triggering his ability to become a free agent.

Although the 32-year-old has only been in the league for two years, he’s been able to show that he can compete with the best of them, despite his regression this year. He bursted onto the scene in 2024, allowing just three earned runs in his first month of work (27 innings). He went on to finish the year with a 2.91 ERA, placing him fifth in the majors, above established studs like Corbin Burnes, Framber Valdez, Logan Webb, and more.

Shota Imanaga is a logical fit for Toronto’s 2025 rotation needs

2025 for Imanaga was a bit less of a linear path, as he ran up his ERA to 3.73, placing him beyond the top 25 in the league. His showing this year forced the Cubs front office to consider the best path moving forward with Imanaga, which brings us here, as the Cubs opted against picking up the three-year option in Imanaga’s contract.

This is exactly where the Toronto Blue Jays should enter the conversation. The Blue Jays are headed into the 2025 offseason with a clear need for a reliable starter, especially a lefty who can slot comfortably near the top of the rotation instead of an inning-filler.

Before Bieber opted in for 2026, the future of the Blue Jays rotation seemed a bit weary. However, Toronto General Manager Ross Atkins made quick work of that, leaving just Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer as free agents who may not re-sign, regardless of their postseason contributions.

Imanaga's struggles in his most recent campaign can be chalked up to a few things, including decreased velocity, and an increase in home runs. In terms of his velo dip on his fastball for example, he went from averaging 91.7 mph to 90.8, which led to him serving up a hefty amount more home runs. His sweeper, curveball, and sinker, all noticely dropped in velocity as well (over one mph).

In terms of keeping the ball in the yard this year, he didn't preform to his standard, allowing 31 homers throughout 144.2 innings of work, compared to 27 across 173.1 in 2024. A lingering hamstring injury for Imanaga, which shelved him for about a month, could have been a contributing factor to his regression. This ends up being a good sign for the Blue Jays, if they decide to take a chance on him, as he'll have a full offseason to work his way back up again.

Kevin Gausman remains the anchor at the top of the rotation, and Trey Yesavage will most likely be pencilled in at the number two or three spot (interchangeable with Bieber). Beyond them though, questions start piling up, which is where Imanaga slots in especially due to the fact that he’d be the only lefty on the staff. Imanaga offers a uniquely appealing solution: a left-handed starter with legitimate swing-and-miss stuff who already proved he can thrive under MLB lights.