What seemed at first to be a four-year deal could soon become a five-year deal. Or it may wind up being just a two-year deal.
And the Chicago Cubs could soon be staring at a significant hole in their starting rotation.
When Shota Imanaga was signed to a four-year, $53 million contract in January 2024, it came with some creative, complex and largely underreported options that made it unlikely he would actually pitch four full seasons under those original terms. In fact, depending on how the Cubs approach this offseason, Imanaga could become a free agent much sooner.
Once the 2025 season ends, the Cubs must decide whether to pick up a three-year, $57 million club option that would carry Imanaga through 2028. If they pass, Imanaga can trigger a $15 million player option for 2026. Should he exercise that choice, Chicago would then face another fork in the road after the 2026 season: a two-year, $42 million club option covering 2027–28. If the Cubs decline that, Imanaga would again hold a $15 million player option for 2027.
Declining either of those player options would immediately put Imanaga on the open market. And given how well the 32-year-old left-hander has pitched since making the jump to the Majors from the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, he almost certainly would take another dip in the free-agent pool.
Options in Contract Could Lead Shota Imanaga Back Into Free Agency
Imanaga exploded onto the MLB scene in 2024. Through his first nine starts, he went 5-0 with a 0.84 ERA, striking out 58 batters in 53.2 innings, and he was named NL Rookie of the Month honors for April.
He was named to the NL All-Star team and finished the season 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 173.1 innings. He placed fourth in the voting for NL Rookie of the Year and fifth in the NL Cy Young Award tally — a remarkable debut campaign by any standard.
This season, Imanaga has been even better in some categories, although his record may not reflect that. Through 22 starts, the most recent on Monday, he is 9-7 with a 3.21 ERA. But those numbers mask a troubling trend. Imanaga has delivered a quality start in each of his last seven outings, yet he’s gone just 1-3 over that stretch as the Cubs managed only 15 total runs of support.
Dig deeper, and the surface record looks even more misleading. Imanaga’s 0.93 WHIP is one of the lowest among National League starters, and opponents are batting just .206 against him — improvements from his impressive 2024 baseline. He has sharpened his command and limited baserunners, traits that normally define a 15-to-18-win pitcher on a competitive team.
Instead, Imanaga has watched start after start turn into wasted gems. Chicago’s offense has gone cold in his outings, particularly in the second half. In four of his last seven starts, the Cubs scored one run or fewer while he was on the mound. A pitcher can control a lot of things — location, pitch sequencing, stamina — but he can’t swing the bats behind him.
Cubs Face Decision on Shota Imanaga That Could Jeopardize Rotation
That’s why the Cubs’ front office has a decision bordering on existential. Do they pay to keep a frontline starter who has been every bit as good as advertised, or do they allow him to test free agency because the win column doesn’t flatter him?
It’s a trapdoor situation. Decline the club option, and suddenly Imanaga holds leverage with a player option that could send him back to market within a year. Exercise it, and you’re on the hook for $57 million over three years — hardly unreasonable for a pitcher with his track record. Let him walk, and you’re trying to replace a left-hander who has proven he can stabilize a rotation even in a hitter’s league.
The larger question is whether the Cubs want to be the team that benefits from Imanaga’s steady excellence or the team that regrets losing him. His consistency, even under the weight of minimal support, has made him one of the few bright spots in a season that’s gone sideways in other areas.
Frontline starters don’t grow on trees. The Cubs landed one out of Japan, and he’s lived up to the billing. The contract’s quirks now force a choice, but the numbers leave little doubt about what Imanaga brings to the table.
If Chicago is serious about contending, this is one hole in the rotation they can’t afford to let open.
Contractual Complexities Put Cubs Rotation in Jeopardy