Mark J. Terrill/AP Photos
LAS VEGAS – By next Tuesday, the Cubs will know whether left-hander Shota Imanaga is accepting the qualifying offer ($22.025 million) to re-sign with the team for 2026.
If he accepts, the Cubs have clarity on their starting pitching needs for this offseason. If he declines, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Tuesday that the Cubs were open to further negotiation.
“We obviously value Shota a ton,” Hoyer said Tuesday, when asked about declining Imanaga’s three-year club option worth shy of $58 million. “He was amazing for us as a pitcher, as a teammate, and I don’t want to close that door completely, by any stretch.