We’ve been waiting for this decision ever since the Cubs and Shōta Imanaga both rejected their mutual contract options for 2026 and beyond. And now, just before the 3 p.m. CT deadline for such things, we have Imanaga’s decision:
I think most of us expected this decision after Imanaga’s bad second half
of 2025, in which he posted a 4.70 ERA and allowed 20 home runs in 76.2 innings (and then three more home runs in 6.2 postseason innings).
It could be that Imanaga was never fully recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered May 4 in Milwaukee. Yes, he did pitch well for a while after he returned in late June, but it is entirely possible the injury contributed to his fastball velocity ticking down about a mile per hour or so from his excellent MLB rookie season in 2024.
Now, Shōta will be a Cub for at least one more season. Hopefully, he will return to his level of performance from 2024 and he and the coaching staff can figure out why all the home runs were flying out of ballparks (though Imanaga was somewhat home-run prone even before the injury), and he can rebuild his value and go to free agency after 2026 — or perhaps get signed to an extension by the Cubs.
Welcome home, Shōta.
