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MLB Rumors: How Cubs came to sign Shota Imanaga after inactivity

As panic started to set in for Chicago Cubs fans with the calendar turning to January and the organization not having signed anyone to a major-league contract, the refrain that we heard from Jed Hoyer and even the media was "patience". Ultimately, fans were rewarded for their patience as the Cubs inked Japanese starting pitcher Shota Imanaga to a team-friendly contract that fortifies the rotation by, ostensibly, replacing Marcus Stroman.

While there is still work to be done, specifically pertaining to re-signing Cody Bellinger or finding a bat to replace him if the club doesn't bring back the former NL MVP, it was a big first move for the Cubs this offseason. Yet, Chicago was also seemingly late to join the party on Imanaga. So how did the signing ultimately come to pass?

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic ($) broke down the free agency pursuit for the Cubs and how things materialized and it all seemed kind of serendipitous... and like Chicago's patience truly was a weapon for them.

Mooney reported that Imanaga was in Chicago with his agency, Octagon, and essentially fell in love with the city with a note that the pitcher and his team have enough photos from the 30-year-old at various spots in the Windy City to play "Where's Shota?". Imanaga even iterated that he wanted to play in the city but was worried because the Cubs, at one point, weren't in the mix.

"'Each team is different and it’s a long process,' Imanaga told The Athletic on Thursday through an interpreter. 'One time I mentioned, ‘I hope the Cubs offer me.’ I was kind of joking just because at that time the Cubs were out of the picture.'"

So when the Cubs reached out, particularly with Hoyer having personally scouted Imanaga in Japan back in September, that was what the pitcher wanted. And he also reportedly took less money than he was offered by other clubs in order to play in Chicago.

This ultimately feels like the match he wanted all along and that works out beautifully for the Cubs.