Report: Shota Imanaga signing with Cubs |
Tony Crumpton
· · Tuesday, November 18 2025
Shota Imanaga is headed back to the Chicago Cubs.
The Athletic's Patrick Mooney first reported that the left-hander will return on a one-year contract worth $22.025 million. The decision was made ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for players to accept or decline qualifying offers, securing Imanaga’s spot in the Cubs' rotation for the upcoming season. Imanaga had a 9-8 record with a 3.73 ERA, 117 strikeouts, and 0.99 WHIP last season. However, he had a 5.17 ERA in his previous 12 regular-season starts and was 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in two playoff starts. In 2024, Imanaga went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts, earning himself an All-Star bid and finishing fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. There is a chance the Cubs will eventually work out a two-year deal to lower the AAV, as the third year of the previous contract was the main reason the Cubs declined it.
