The deadline for impending MLB free agents to accept or deny the qualifying offer has hit and Shota Imanaga was the first player to make his decision. The Chicago Cubs offered him the qualifying offer, which is a one-year, $22.025 million contract, and Imanaga has made his decision. Let’s take a closer look at what he decided and the implications it has for the Cubs going forward.
Shota Imanaga Accepts Qualifying Offer
Right-handed starting pitcher Shota Imanaga has officially accepted the qualifying offer that the Chicago Cubs extended to him. This means that he will be under contract for the 2026 season with the team on a one-year deal and cannot receive the qualifying offer at any other point of his MLB career.
Imanaga had a decent 2025 season with the Cubs as he made 25 starts and was 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in 144.2 innings. It was a step in the opposite direction from his 2024 rookie season where he finished as an All-Star and a top-five NL Cy Young votegetter, but this is a chance for him to re-establish his value for next offseason.
The Cubs curently have a starting rotation that consists of Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Jameson Taillon, Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Imanaga now under contract. There could be a move in the works to deal one of these starting pitchers, but it will be intriguing to see what this means going forward.
Imanaga and the Cubs originally declined options, allowing him to potentially become a free agent. However, the franchise placed the qualifying offer on him and now will have him under contract for the 2026 season.
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