Will the New York Yankees Seal a Shota Imanaga Deal, or Are They Due for Another Disappointment?

Published 12/25/2023, 5:00 PM EST

The New York Yankees have had a decent off-season thus far. Securing Juan Soto was the most important goal, which the team did, while also adding some depth. But now Yankees GM Brian Cashman needs to turn his attention to a quickly worsening pitching situation. The Bronx Bombers need a starting pitcher, and after losing Yoshinobu Yamamoto, they’re left with several other options.

Despite this, the team should move fast to secure their next target as competition builds. For most of the off-season, many considered the Yankees to be a frontrunner and likely landing spot for Yamamoto. But they fell short at the last moment. Now with fewer top options, the team must focus.

Will the New York Yankees successfully sign Shota Imanaga?

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Shota Imanaga has long since been considered a backup option for the New York Yankees, and now they will pursue him with all their might. But this time, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has to get the bid right and pay what is needed to sign the Japanese ace. Furthermore, getting a deal done would benefit the team, as prices will only get higher the longer they wait.

It will be interesting to see what the Bombers bid for Imanaga, but they will likely have to face their crosstown rivals in an intense bidding war. The Mets are one of a few other teams that have shown interest in the Japanese ace as well.

I do believe that the Yankees will get the job done and get their target to sign a deal. But the roadblocks may be hard considering the staunch competition. If the team gets it wrong, the bidding war for other pitchers could reach monumental heights. Furthermore, Imanaga has shown his elite skill in the NPB and the most recent World Baseball Classic.

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The Yankees have further fallback options

If the New York Yankees fail to sign Shota Imanaga, it would be a great loss. But Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell are 2 possible contingency plans. But by that time the bidding war will intensify and a star like Snell, who just won the NL Cy Young award, could reach the heights of Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes.

Amidst Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Rising $300 Million Stakes, Mets Headline Top Teams Chasing Another Japanese Ace

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Shota Imanaga and Jordan Montgomery seem like the most promising options at the moment. Will the Yankees secure an Imanaga signing or is more disappointment on the way? Only Brian Cashman could say.

Watch This Story : Yankees Secure A Special Gift As The Japanese Ace Makes His Way To Be A Free Agent

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Written by:

Pranay Mukherjee is an MLB writer at EssentiallySports, with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. His expertise lies in cheat sheets, post-game analysis, and trade rumors, providing readers with comprehensive coverage of the sport. Pranay is an avid follower of baseball and is a staunch supporter of the Yankees, firmly believing that it is time for the New York team to break their World Series jinx.

Edited by:

Arunima Bhanot

Will the New York Yankees Seal a Shota Imanaga Deal, or Are They Due for Another Disappointment?

Will the New York Yankees successfully sign Shota Imanaga?

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The Yankees have further fallback options