Shota Imanaga Update: Giants not 'focused' on Japanese ace, per MLB insider

Shota Imanaga is approaching his free-agency deadline. The intriguing Japanese pitcher has until January 11 to decide and sign with a major league team, marking the end of his 45-day signing period.

The small but hard-throwing lefty will be an excellent addition to a team looking to add a frontline arm. He has already spoken to a few teams, but contract talks should ramp up with his window closing.

One team that is reportedly stepping back from the Shota Imanaga sweepstakes is the San Francisco Giants. Per Jim Bowden, they are not focused on signing Imanaga after acquiring Robbie Ray on Friday.

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The Giants traded Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Ray. Ray is coming off a season where he appeared in just one game while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Some expected the Giants to still be on Imanaga after the Ray trade, but that does not seem true. They will continue to look at free-agent options as they try to beef up their squad. They need all the help they can get, playing in the same division as the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Who is still in the mix to land Shota Imanaga?

One team that is still tied to Shota Imanaga is the New York Mets. They are looking to bounce back from a lackluster 2023 season, and adding Imanaga alongside Kodai Senga would greatly improve the team's rotation.

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Another team expected to be a finalist to sign Imanaga is the Boston Red Sox. They are also looking to bring in another arm to help the rotation. Last week, they signed Lucas Giolito to a two-year, $38.5 million deal.

With time ticking down, Imanaga is going to have to decide his future in under a week.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom