Jed Hoyer called the move to decline Shota Imanaga’s option a “complex” contract decision, but made it clear the Cubs “don’t want to close that door” on a reunion with their former ace.
CHICAGO — The future of left-hander Shota Imanaga with the Chicago Cubs remains one of the most uncertain and “complex” situations of the offseason.
Following the World Series, the Cubs declined their three-year, $57.75 million team option on Imanaga. In turn, Imanaga declined his one-year, $15.25 million player option. This intricate contract dance has now concluded with the Cubs extending Imanaga the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer, leaving the decision in the pitcher’s hands.
At the general managers’ meetings in Las Vegas, Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer addressed the “complex decision,” emphasizing that the contract mechanics did not reflect the team’s high valuation of the pitcher.
“WE OBVIOUSLY VALUE SHOTA A TON. I THINK HE WAS AMAZING FOR US AS A PITCHER, AS A TEAMMATE, AND, YOU KNOW, I DON’T WANT TO CLOSE THAT DOOR COMPLETELY BY ANY STRETCH.” — Jed Hoyer
Hoyer explained that the options simply didn’t align for either party.
“Clearly, we made him a qualifying offer and there’s nothing that prohibits us from still talking to him,” Hoyer continued. “I don’t want to close that door, but obviously, the way that we valued the club option, the way he valued the player option, [we] obviously didn’t meet up there.”
A Tale of Two Seasons
The “complex” nature of the decision stems from Imanaga’s “uneven” two-season stint with Chicago.
- 2024 (Rookie Season): His rookie campaign was brilliant. Imanaga went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, earning an All-Star selection and finishing in the top five for both the NL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards.
- 2025 (Sophomore Season): His follow-up was more challenging. Imanaga missed over a month with a hamstring injury and saw his performance dip, finishing 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA. His strikeout rate also dropped significantly, from 9.0 per nine innings in 2024 to 7.3 in 2025.
Though his 2025 season didn’t match his rookie brilliance, the Cubs’ qualifying offer shows they still have faith in his potential and value his contributions.
The decision now lies with Imanaga: accept the $22.025 million one-year deal to return to Chicago, or decline it to test the free-agent market for a multi-year contract. For the Cubs, the door remains open.
