Tigers named best fit for lovable former Cubs starter (with a couple of yellow flags)

There were a handful of surprises this past week as teams across Major League Baseball prepared for the start of free agency on Thursday, and perhaps the biggest was Shota Imanaga suddenly becoming a free agent. While there remains a possibility the Detroit Tigers might trade Tarik Skubal this offseason, the front office, one way or another, is going to have to fill a need in their starting rotation.

This offseason has the makings of one where the Tigers should hold onto Skubal and push their chips to the middle of the table. There certainly are high-profile starting pitchers on the free-agent market, such as Framber Valdez, Michael King, and Dylan Cease, but Scott Harris' front office may look to be opportunistic instead of aggressive. Along those lines, the Tigers were mentioned by The Athletic as a team that could be the eventual suitor for Imanaga this offseason

The idea of Imanaga becoming a free agent would've been a silly thought exercise at the start of the 2025 season. He was coming off a rookie campaign where he garnered Cy Young attention, and the injury to Justin Steele made him the de facto ace of the Chicago Cubs' rotation. The Cubs exercising their three-year club option worth $57 million seemed all but procedural.

Tigers Rumors: Shota Imanaga surprising now a free agent target?

Things took a dramatic turn for Imanaga during the second half of the season, as he was no longer pitching above his metrics. In his final five starts of the regular season, Imanaga had a 6.51 ERA while giving up 10 home runs in just under 28 innings pitched.

In comparison to his rookie season, Imanaga lost nearly 1 mph in velocity on his fastball, his strikeout rate fell by almost 5%, and the whiff rate on his splitter dropped by 11%.

No longer was Imanaga the ace of the Cubs' staff, and when faced with the opportunity to pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 5 of the NLDS on regular rest, the Cubs avoided using him entirely. The Cubs have extended a qualifying offer to Imanaga, so it would cost the Tigers draft pick compensation to sign him, but he could be a solid short-term answer for the back end of the Tigers' rotation.

Assuming Imanaga is looking to replenish his stock, Comerica Park would be a great place for him. A notorious fly-ball pitcher, Imanaga likely wouldn't be bitten by the home run ball as frequently as he was during his second year with the Cubs. And, if nothing else, bringing in Imanaga would give off great vibes for the Tigers, considering his lovable personality.