A vital member of the 2008 World Series squad, Howard was the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year and the 2006 NL MVP. In 2010, the Phillies gave him a $125 million, five-year contract extension as compensation for his achievements. But this deal didn’t start until 2012—the year when Howard had an Achilles tendon tear.

The Phillies kept Howard after that injury, and he never really recovered. In 2016, Howard’s contract extension expired, and he made $10 million when the Phillies rejected his $23 million option for that season.

This offseason, the Chicago Cubs signed Japanese standout Shota Imanaga to a contract, giving them access to a potential ace on their staff.

His club posted him so he could look into his alternatives in the Major League Baseball, as he was a very productive starter in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Following his signing, there was speculation that the Cubs will switch to a six-man starting rotation, a strategy they often use in Japan to limit the amount of time their starters spend on the mound each month.