Shota Imanaga signing gives the Chicago Cubs more room for a successful offseason

A sigh of relief is warranted for Chicago Cubs fans. The team finally signed their first player of the offseason, reaching a tentative agreement with lefty starter Shota Imanaga for what sounds like a reasonable deal at around $15 million AAV. Although not final, the deal finally breaks the free agency seal after Jed Hoyer seemed to be in hibernation throughout all of December.

Now that they've acquired one of their top middle-of-the-rotation starting targets, the Cubs could soon move to other pursuits in hopes of improving on where they ended 2023. We've spent so much time wondering aloud what the team was (or wasn't) doing that it's worth recalibrating and looking at what constitutes a successful offseason now that Imanaga is on board. Many of the holes we've discussed still exist, but there is a little more flexibility with a new starter in tow.

Cody Bellinger has to remain the priority going forward if there's any hope of improvement. The market for impact players is thin and few fit the mold of what the Cubs need more than him. Even if he's due for regression from his .307/.356/.525 slash line and 4.4 WAR 2023 season, his flexibility as a quality lefty bat with stellar defense at both first base and center field works well for a team that's also trying to break in Pete Crow-Armstrong. Hoyer has been committed to getting a deal on his terms and, with no teams willing to jump the market for Bellinger, he can continue to let the market come to him for now.

If they can't re-sign Bellinger, Rhys Hoskins is still available alongside Matt Chapman. One thing Imanaga's deal indicates is that he won't be the only move - the team will be aggressive to get at least one of these bats. Both Chapman and Hoskins are likely to be cheaper than Bellinger and offer their own advantages. Assuming Chapman's deal is reasonable (say, a little under $100 million), he'd give the Cubs an enviable defensive infield plus a power bat with upside while Hoskins seems like a bounce-back candidate for DH or first base given his .242/.353/.492 career slash line and 126 wRC+.

Cubs could go all in on pitching if they don't get Bellinger

While the Cubs are likely done adding to the rotation, for now, that's not saying they couldn't keep going. Shane Bieber has yet to be traded and, although it would be nice to give Jordan Wicks or other prospects a look in the fifth spot, they could pivot to create an even stronger rotation if more of their targets go off the board. Bieber makes arguably the most sense out of the starters still out there with only one year left until free agency. Even coming off a down year with a 3.80 ERA and his lowest strikeout rate in the majors yet, a rotation featuring him, Imanaga, Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks, and Jameson Taillon would be formidable.

There's also Josh Hader to consider. He's been connected to the Cubs off and on throughout the offseason, albeit not seriously considering he's aiming to beat Edwin Diaz's $102 million guarantee. Still, he's the best reliever out there coming off a 1.28 ERA and 2.69 FIP season and the Cubs should still have a ton of flexibility. Even if he's too expensive for Hoyer to stomach and doesn't align with their recent plans for building relief corps, the bullpen has to be addressed from here, whether that be with Ryan Brasier, Robert Stephenson, Brent Suter, or even old friend David Robertson.

This is all to say plenty of options are still out there. It felt daunting before the Cubs made a move, but with Imanaga, there's a clearer road map to success. Bellinger, Hoskins, and some bullpen arms could be considered a success. Or, perhaps, they opt for a pitching and defense-heavy team with Chapman, Bieber, and Hader. The Cubs should sit at around $200 million for luxury tax purposes after Imanaga, meaning they can and should keep pushing for more significant, well-rounded additions.

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