The Detroit Tigers could use a starter who made 32 starts last season. So could the San Diego Padres. MLB Network’s Jon Paul Morosi reported Thursday that Detroit had shown interest in Shota Imanaga, and Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported earlier in the week that the Padres were interested in the left-hander.

That competition is Detroit’s biggest obstacle. Imanaga’s agent, Yoshinobu Hasegawa, told reporters at the general managers meetings that he had been in contact with a double-digit number of clubs, according to the Japanese baseball outlet Full-Count.

The outlet reported that Imanaga was seeking a multi-year deal and that Hasegawa said the pitcher wanted to pitch in the postseason. The reports establish interest from both teams. The terms either club might offer remain unknown.

San Diego Has a Rotation Opening and a Recent Playoff Record

Michael King, Nick Pivetta, and Walker Buehler reached free agency, leaving San Diego with multiple rotation spots to fill. The Padres also won 91 games and reached the playoffs for the third straight year. That gives San Diego a recent track record it can point to after the Tigers finished 76-86.

Detroit has a clear role to offer, too. Imanaga pitched 174.1 innings with a 3.77 ERA for the Chicago Cubs in 2026. He could take a regular turn behind Framber Valdez and give the Tigers more room to manage Jackson Jobe’s workload and Reese Olson’s return from shoulder surgery. That’s an immediate need, and it gives Detroit a reason to make a serious offer early.

Detroit Can Compete on Two Guaranteed Years

Sports Illustrated’s free-agent projections put Imanaga at two years and either $34 million or $40 million. That range gives Detroit a benchmark for what established innings could cost. Signing him also would carry no qualifying-offer draft penalty. Imanaga accepted one from Chicago last winter and was ineligible to receive another.

A third guaranteed year is where the risk changes. Imanaga allowed 35 home runs in 2026, tied for second most in the Majors. Fourteen came in 63.2 innings on the road, according to Statcast. Detroit would have to account for that risk across an entire schedule, especially in a deal that would run through his age-36 season.

If another club offers more guaranteed money over two years, Detroit could raise its annual offer if doing so still leaves room for the late-inning relief help Scott Harris identified.

If a rival guarantees a third season, the Tigers could propose a club option for that year. If the third year has to be guaranteed to close the deal, Detroit should move on. Two years would give the Tigers dependable innings while they find out how much their younger starters can handle.