Shota Imanaga Declines Option, Becomes Free Agent

Shota Imanaga is a free agent, sources told Jesse Rogers of ESPN on Tuesday. The Cubs declined to extend his contract to a fifth year, which allowed the 32-year-old lefty to opt out of a $15 million player option for 2026.

Rogers reported that there is no word yet on whether the Cubs will extend the one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to Imanaga, which could dampen his free agency prospects. If the QO is extended, the team signing Imanaga would give up draft pick compensation.

Imanaga went 9-8 this season with a 3.73 ERA over 25 starts, striking out 117 and walking 26 in 144 2/3 innings pitched. His 0.988 WHIP would have been sixth in MLB if he qualified, but he was 17 1/3 innings short. He was on a roaring start in 2025, pitching to a 2.82 ERA in his first eight starts. But then he injured his hamstring, missed six weeks, then pitched to a 4.14 ERA over his next 100 innings. In his 2024 rookie year, Imanaga went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, made the All-Star team and finished fifth in Cy Young voting.

The Mets were one of several teams, along with the Cubs, Dodgers and Red Sox, that showed interest in Imanaga when he was posted by the Yokohama BayStars in December 2023. The Cubs signed him to a four-year, $53 million deal in January 2024, but that contract allowed for the options that the team and player exercised Tuesday.

Imanaga will join a free agent class that includes starters Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez and Dylan Cease.

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