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By Michael DeRosa
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The Detroit Tigers may have recently signed relief pitcher Emilio Pagan in free agency, but they should not be done making moves yet.
One clear area that the Tigers still need to improve is their starting rotation, as they traded pitchers Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize this season. Thus, it would be wise for them to add at least one impactful starting pitcher through free agency.
Now, the Tigers are being connected to a notable free agent starting pitcher because of it.
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According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Tigers are expressing interest in star free agent pitcher Shota Imanaga during the early days of the offseason.
"The Tigers are showing interest in LHP Shota Imanaga, among other free-agent starting pitchers," Morosi reported on X.
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Hearing that the Tigers are interested in Imanaga is not too difficult to understand. There is no question that they need to strengthen their starting rotation, and signing a pitcher like Imanaga would help them do just that. This is because he is a proven pitcher who has been good throughout his MLB career.
Imanaga had another solid season with the Chicago Cubs during the 2026 campaign. In 32 games for the Cubs this season, he posted an 11-10 record, a 3.77 ERA, and 174 strikeouts. This was after he had a 9-8 record, a 3.73 ERA, and 117 strikeouts in 25 games for the Cubs during the 2025 season.
Imanaga's best MLB season was in 2024 with the Cubs, though. In 29 games during that campaign, he had a 15-3 record, a 2.94 ERA, and 174 strikeouts. With a season like this on his resume, it makes sense that the Tigers have him on their radar.
It will be interesting to see if the Tigers can successfully sign Imanaga this offseason. If they did, he would have the potential to provide the top half of their starting rotation with a major boost. Thus, the Tigers and Imanaga could be a very good fit if a deal comes to fruition.
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