Projecting the Cubs' 2024 Pitching Rotation After Shota Imanaga Signing

The Chicago Cubs are officially on the board in free agency. Pending a physical and finalized details, they have agreed to terms with left handed pitcher Shota Imanaga to bring him to the north side of Chicago. Fans have been desperate for the Cubs to make a move, and they've finally got one.

Imanaga is a southpaw who is set to make his MLB debut in 2024. He can have a dependency on the fly ball for outs, which could be worrisome for summer days at Wrigley. But the movement and control he has to keep himself out of trouble is top tier.

His skillset on top of him being a lefty makes him incredibly valuable. He will be a huge piece of the Cubs rotation moving forward, which could look like this.

Cubs 2024 Pitching Rotation Projection

1. Justin Steele
2. Jameson Taillon
3. Shota Imanaga
4. Kyle Hendricks
5. Jordan Hicks

After last year's magical summer, lefty Justin Steele has earned the opportunity to be the ace at the start of the season and get the ball on Opening Day.

Right-hander Jameson Taillon will be looking for a bounce back and will hopefully be able to surpass the 154 innings he had last year.

Imanaga will fit nicely in the middle, continuing the left-right-left pattern in the rotation.

We all are hoping for the return to dominance for the Professor, Kyle Hendricks, and his Maddux-like approach and gameplan. And it is possible that young left-hander

Jordan Wicks could start the year as the 5th starter in the rotation after his wonderful emergence in 2023.

Nobody can rule out the Cubs making an additional move to add to the rotation, so this is subject to change. But as it stands, at its healthiest, the ceiling could be high for this staff.

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