Overview
- Chicago declined a three-year club option worth just under $58 million and Imanaga turned down his roughly $15 million player option, making him a free agent with a qualifying offer attached.
- Team president Jed Hoyer said the option values were not right for either side and emphasized that the Cubs remain open to further negotiations after the qualifying-offer decision.
- The qualifying offer is $22.025 million for 2026, and a yes-or-no answer will give the Cubs either immediate rotation clarity or a green light to pursue starting pitching in trades and free agency.
- Hoyer noted Imanaga’s 2025 included a hamstring setback, a slight velocity dip and more home runs late in the year, even as he posted a 3.73 ERA over 25 starts following a standout 2024 debut.
- Market chatter has already surfaced, including a Bleacher Report prediction of a two-year, $38 million deal with the Rangers, which remains speculative and unconfirmed.