Overview
- ESPN’s Jesse Rogers first reported Tuesday that Chicago declined its multi‑year club option and Imanaga then rejected his $15 million player option for 2026.
- If the Cubs issue a $22.025 million qualifying offer by the end of the week and he turns it down, they would receive draft‑pick compensation.
- The declined club path was structured to keep Imanaga under contract through 2028 on roughly a three‑year, $57 million arrangement, per multiple reports.
- Imanaga logged a 24–11 record with a 3.28 ERA over two Cubs seasons, with 2025 marked by a hamstring absence and a late‑season spike in home runs allowed.
- Chicago’s rotation now projects around Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon, with Justin Steele expected back from elbow surgery on an uncertain timeline.