Cubs Notes: Imai, Okamoto

"Tatsuya Imai came off the board this afternoon. He agreed to terms with the Astros on a three-year, $54MM guarantee with opt-outs after the first two seasons. It was both a surprise landing spot and contract, as the NPB right-hander had generally been expected to pull a nine-figure deal that probably would have priced him out of Houston. The Cubs were among the teams most commonly speculated as a fit for Imai over his 45-day posting window."

"Both Feinsand and Jon Heyman of The New York Post suggest that neither the Yankees nor Mets were heavily involved. The Yankees may be more focused on the lineup - they reportedly have an offer out to Cody Bellinger - while previous reporting has indicated the Mets aren't eager to make a long-term investment in a free agent starter. Imai apparently was not going to be an exception."

Tatsuya Imai agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract with the Houston Astros that includes opt-outs after the first two seasons. The contract represented a surprise given projections that the NPB right-hander could command a nine-figure deal. The Chicago Cubs were commonly linked to Imai and emerged as the primary competition late in the period, but many teams shared hesitation about committing long-term. The Yankees and Mets were not heavily involved, with New York prioritizing lineup moves and the Mets skittish about long-term starter investments. The Cubs still need an upper mid-rotation starter, with questions remaining about Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd after late-season struggles and workload concerns.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors