Sports

MLB free agency 2023 tracker: Shota Imanaga reportedly signing with Chicago Cubs

Imanaga reportedly signing with Chicago Cubs

According to Bob Nightengale and Jon Heyman, the Cubs reached a tentative deal with Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga on Tuesday. Imanaga will undergo a physical before the contract becomes official.

Imanaga started Team Japan’s win in the 2023 WBC Final. Terms of the deal have not yet been announced.

Dodgers add another bat with Teoscar Hernández

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly signing free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernández to a one-year, $23.5 million contract, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Jan. 7.

Per the report, $8.5 million of the deal will be deferred with payouts from 2030 to ’39. The deal is another high-profile Dodgers contract in an offseason that has seen the team sign two-way star Shohei Ohtani, Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and former Rays starter Tyler Glasnow.

Hernández turned down multiyear offers in order to sign the high-value, one-year deal with the Dodgers, per the report. He was No. 16 on Yahoo Sports’ ranking of this winter’s free agents.

Red Sox bolster rotation with Lucas Giolito

Another top starting pitcher has come off the board, as Lucas Giolito is headed to the Boston Red Sox.

The right-hander agreed Dec. 29 to a two-year, $38.5 million deal that includes an opt-out after the first season. That will allow him to retest free agency next winter if he pitches better in 2024 than he has the past couple of years, in which he posted a combined 4.89 ERA.

Giolito joins a Red Sox rotation that was low on innings last season, but the group will still need help if it wants to compete in the AL East next season.

Yamamoto joining Dodgers for 12 years, $325 million

The Dodgers continued to add to their embarrassment of riches Dec. 21, agreeing with Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto on a 12-year deal worth $325 million, plus a posting fee of $50.6 million.

The deal comes after Yamamoto was posted and made available to MLB teams in November. He was second to only Shohei Ohtani on Yahoo Sports’ list of this winter’s top 25 free agents.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers is the largest contract for a pitcher in Major League Baseball history, beating Gerrit Cole‘s deal by $1 million. Furthermore, the Dodgers will pay an additional $50.6 million in posting fee. Total outlay: 12 years, $375M.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 22, 2023

Dodgers acquire and extend Glasnow

The Dodgers added a new pitcher to their rotation Dec. 14, completing a trade for Tyler Glasnow with the Tampa Bay Rays. In exchange for Glasnow, the Rays received outfielder Jonny Deluca and pitcher Ryan Pepiot. The Dodgers also received outfielder Manuel Margot in the deal.

The deal was contingent on Glasnow signing an extension with the Dodgers, and the next day, the two sides came to terms on a five-year, $135 million deal.

BREAKING: Right-hander Tyler Glasnow and the Los Angeles Dodgers are finalizing a five-year, $135 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Once the deal is complete, the trade of Glasnow and Manuel Margot from the Rays to the Dodgers for Ryan Pepiot and Jonny DeLuca will be official.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 15, 2023

Live37 updates

  • The Chicago Cubs have reached a tentative deal with Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga. He will undergo a physical in Chicago on Thursday before the deal becomes official.

    — Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 9, 2024

  • Of the $23.5 million in Teoscar Hernández’s deal with the Dodgers, $8.5 million will be deferred, to be paid out from 2030 to 2039, sources tell ESPN. The corner-outfield market is tough, and Hernández opted for a big one-year deal with the best team over other multiyear offers.

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 8, 2024

  • BREAKING: Outfielder Teoscar Hernández and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a one-year, $23.5 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Hernández joins Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow on the new-look Dodgers, who add another All-Star bat to the lineup.

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 8, 2024

  • Centerfielder Harrison Bader and the New York Mets are in agreement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract, a source tells ESPN. @martinonyc was on the news.

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 4, 2024

  • Free agent SS Kevin Newman agrees to deal with D-Backs

    — Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 3, 2024

  • The Reds have officially announced their one-year, $14 million deal with Frankie Montas. The deal includes a $20 million mutual option for 2025 with a $2 million club buyout.

    — Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 2, 2024

  • Source: Padres and Korean reliever Woo Suk Go are in agreement on a 2-yr, $4.5M contract.

    — Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 3, 2024

  • Right-hander Chris Flexen and the Chicago White Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $1.75 million contract, a source tells ESPN. White Sox continue to fill out their rotation with the 29-year-old veteran. @BNightengale had the agreement first.

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 29, 2023

  • BREAKING: Right-hander Lucas Giolito and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a two-year, $38.5 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, sources tell ESPN.

    Boston lands its first big signing of the winter. The question now is: Will there be more?

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 29, 2023

  • Free-agent infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and the Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement on a two-year, $15 million contract, pending physical, according to sources familiar with the deal. The deal includes $1 million in incentives.

    — Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 27, 2023

  • Free-agent catcher Martín Maldonado and the Chicago White Sox are close to an agreement, according to sources familiar with the situation.

    — Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 27, 2023

  • #BlueJays are in agreement with Kevin Kiermaier on a one-year, $10.5 million deal pending physical per source@Feinsand was on this. Deal includes some incentives

    — Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 26, 2023

  • BREAKING: Catcher Mitch Garver and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a two-year, $24 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN.

    Merry Christmas and happy holidays to him, Mariners fans who get to celebrate an unexpected gift and everyone else.

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 25, 2023

  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s deal includes a pair of opt-outs, sources tell ESPN.

    Here are more details on the contract, which is pending a physical: 12 years, $325 million (which includes a $50 million signing bonus), no deferred money, an additional $50.6 million posting fee to Orix.

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 22, 2023

  • No deferrals in Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325M contract with Dodgers, per source. Signing bonus of $50M.

    — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 22, 2023

  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers is the largest contract for a pitcher in Major League Baseball history, beating Gerrit Cole’s deal by $1 million. Furthermore, the Dodgers will pay an additional $50.6 million in posting fee. Total outlay: 12 years, $375M.

    — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 22, 2023