Give me up? I don't like Cubs either! Imanaga proudly declares FA, refuses QO and will explode in demand
Nov 05, 2025
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The Chicago Cubs gave up the club's option for Japanese pitcher Shota Imana on the 5th (Korea time). Shota also gained FA status by giving up his player option to exercise.
The market is taking it as an unexpected choice for the Cubs.
Imanaga made his major league debut last year and pitched 173 ⅓ innings in 29 games, losing 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 174 strikeouts, ranking fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He finished fourth in this year's NL rookie vote, but he adjusted perfectly in his first season of moving the league and established himself as a top starter.
However, he slowed down this year when he suffered a left hamstring injury. He was placed on the injured list from May 6 to June 26. He pitched 144 ⅔ innings in 25 games, marking 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA and 117 strikeouts. It wasn't satisfactory, but it wasn't a slump for the Cubs to give up their options.
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In addition, it was jagged in the postseason. In Game 2 of the Wild Card Series (WCS) against the San Diego Padres, he allowed three hits and two runs in four innings, and in Game 2 of the Division Series (DS) against the Milwaukee Brewers, he allowed five hits and four runs in two ⅔ innings. The Cubs originally tried to start Imanaga in Game 5 of the DS, but in the end, they lost 1-3 and were eliminated while playing a bullpen game with Drew Pomerantz as an opener.
To understand why Imanaga and the Cubs gave up each other, we need to look into the contract signed in January last year.
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First, the club option. The Cubs were able to execute club options of $20 million in 2026 and 2027, $17 million in 2028, or $57 million over three years. If Cubs chose this option this time, the total amount will increase to $80 million over five years.
Imanaga could stay with the Cubs through player options if they waived their club options.
Choosing a $15 million player option in 2026, the Cubs will have a $42 million club option over two years, including $24 million in 2027 and $18 million in 2028. If the Cubs relinquish their club options from 2027 to 2028, Imana could re-invoke the $15 million player option in 2027. In other words, Imanaga secured a total of $53 million over four years with his will.
However, Imana ranked fifth in the Cy Young Award voting for the first season, and her annual salary has increased by $250,000 since 2025 depending on the annual salary escalator. In other words, the total amount of four years, including two-year player options, increased to $53.5 million, and the total amount of five years increased to $81 million if the three-year club option was activated.
However, as the Cubs gave up three years' worth of club options and Imana also gave up the 2026 option, he became an FA. For Imana, there was no two-year, $30.5 million for player options and $57.75 million for three years when the Cubs activated the club options.
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MLB.com listed seven FA players, including Imanaga, Bobi??, Edwin Diaz, Kyle Schwarber, Rangers Suarez, Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez, to be presented with QO. However, all of them also rejected QO and expected to go to the market. In other words, the clubs' interest in Imana will explode.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell named Imanaga the starting pitcher for the Tokyo opener ahead of the opening of spring training in February, saying, `He has overcome all the challenges and difficulties ahead of him. That was what he looked like last year. We have to show that ability again in the highly competitive Major League Baseball." In a year, absolute trust has been destroyed.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
