Lead
Left-hander Shota Imanaga is set to become a free agent after the Chicago Cubs declined a club option and Imanaga turned down a $15 million player option for 2026, a decision confirmed by league sources on Nov. 4, 2025. The Cubs may extend a qualifying offer for 2026; if he rejects that and signs elsewhere, the team would receive draft-pick compensation. Imanaga, 32, posted a 9-8 record with a 3.73 ERA in 25 starts in 2025 but struggled in September and was not chosen to start Game 5 of the NLDS. His move to free agency opens the door to a longer-term contract elsewhere after a two-year tenure in Chicago.
Key Takeaways
- Shota Imanaga, 32, declined a $15 million player option for 2026 after the Cubs declined their club option to extend his deal to 2028.
- Imanaga went 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA in 25 starts in 2025, though he had a 6.51 ERA in September and lost a starting role for NLDS Game 5.
- He burst onto MLB in 2024 with a 15-3 record and 2.91 ERA, after signing an initial four-year, $53 million contract from Japan.
- In two seasons with the Cubs he surrendered 58 home runs, a notable figure given Wrigley Field wind patterns over those years.
- The Cubs have until the end of the week to decide whether to extend a qualifying offer for 2026, which would affect draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere.
- Imanaga spent eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) prior to joining MLB and remains an intriguing target for clubs seeking a left-handed starter with a distinctive repertoire.
Background
Imanaga signed with the Cubs before the 2024 season on a four-year, $53 million contract that included a club option after the 2025 season to take the deal to five years and $80 million. That structure also created a $15 million player option for 2026, which he has now declined, enabling him to test the open market. His first MLB season was a breakout, as he finished 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 2024, showcasing a rising fastball and a splitter that baffled many hitters new to his arsenal.
But his second season showed regression that coincided with greater league familiarity. Over 2024–25 with the Cubs he yielded 58 home runs, an outsized total for a fly-ball pitcher pitching home games in a Wrigley Field environment that, across both seasons, more often saw wind blowing in. The late-season downturn in 2025—highlighted by a 6.51 ERA in September—contributed to the club’s roster decisions in the postseason.
Main Event
Sources reported on Nov. 4, 2025 that the Cubs declined the club option that would have extended Imanaga’s deal and that Imanaga then declined his own $15 million option for 2026. That sequence of declinations immediately activated his free-agent status. The Cubs retain the ability to make a qualifying offer before the league deadline; if made and rejected, the team would receive draft compensation under current MLB rules.
On the field, Imanaga made 25 starts in 2025 and finished 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA. While productive overall, his September numbers worsened dramatically—he posted a 6.51 ERA in that month—which factored into postseason usage decisions. In the NLDS the team passed on Imanaga for Game 5, and although he warmed up in the bullpen, he did not enter the game.
Imanaga’s pitch mix—most notably a rising fastball and a deceptive splitter—drove his 2024 success, but opponents adjusted in 2025 as they saw him more frequently. As a result, his value profile to prospective suitors will combine his 2024 peak production, a solid but inconsistent 2025, and his two-year MLB sample that includes an unusually high home-run total.
Analysis & Implications
Imanaga’s free agency will be evaluated through multiple lenses. Teams searching for a left-handed starter with upside will weigh his 2024 dominance—15 wins and a 2.91 ERA—against the 2025 regression and late-season struggles. The fact he allowed 58 homers over two seasons will be scrutinized by clubs that factor ballpark effects and fly-ball tendencies heavily into projection models.
Contract structure is another immediate consideration. By declining a $15 million player option, Imanaga signals a preference to pursue either a longer-term guarantee or a larger annual average value elsewhere. Clubs that prioritize term over short-term cost may be willing to accept his 2025 unevenness for the chance to lock him in for multiple years.
For the Cubs, the choice to decline the club option and allow free agency may reflect roster planning and salary-allocation priorities heading into 2026. If Chicago extends a qualifying offer and Imanaga rejects it, any club signing him will cost the Cubs draft compensation, softening the loss of rotation depth to a degree. Conversely, if the Cubs make no qualifying offer, Imanaga’s market may expand for teams unwilling to sacrifice picks.
Comparison & Data
| Season | W-L | ERA | Starts | HR Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 15-3 | 2.91 | — | — |
| 2025 | 9-8 | 3.73 | 25 | — |
| 2024–25 (Cubs) | 24-11 | — | — | 58 |
The table above summarizes Imanaga’s headline MLB numbers: an outstanding 2024 season followed by a competent but uneven 2025. The cumulative 58 home runs allowed over his two seasons in Chicago stands out in raw totals and will likely influence how teams value him in run-suppression and park-neutral projections.
Reactions & Quotes
Team and league observers framed the decision as both a player seeking security and a club balancing roster needs. Sources close to the situation described the declinations as mutually consequential rather than solely adversarial.
“He’s chosen to explore the market for a longer-term commitment rather than a one-year option.”
Team source (league-insider)
Front-office analysts noted the timing and statistical profile that will shape negotiations.
“Teams will remember his 2024 peak but will also run detailed spin and batted-ball evaluations on his 2025 late-season slide.”
MLB analytics director
Fans and commentators reacted to the postseason usage and the broader roster implications; some emphasized the risk-reward tradeoff in pursuing a pitcher who split results across two seasons.
“The postseason choices underscored how much the September performance mattered to the club’s decision-making.”
Local sports commentator
Unconfirmed
- Whether the Cubs will extend a qualifying offer before the league deadline is not yet publicly confirmed and remains subject to the club’s internal decision timeline.
- Specific contract offers from other clubs or the size and term of any prospective deal for Imanaga have not been publicly reported and are unverified at this time.
Bottom Line
Shota Imanaga’s move to free agency closes a two-year arc in Chicago that began with a standout 2024 and ended with a mixed 2025 finish. His decision to decline the $15 million player option signals a preference to seek longer-term security or a different market than a one-year guarantee would provide.
For teams shopping for a left-handed starter, Imanaga offers an appealing blend of upside and risk: a clear top-of-rotation peak in 2024, but a follow-up season that raised questions about durability, home-run susceptibility, and late-season form. The Cubs’ choice on a qualifying offer will shape whether they receive draft compensation if he signs elsewhere, and that procedural step will inform both Chicago’s roster construction and the free-agent market for left-handed arms this off-season.