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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Takes QO, stays with Cubs
Shota Imanaga accepted a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.The Cubs declined Imanaga's three-year, $57.75 million option earlier this month, but the left-hander will remain in Chicago after taking the team's qualifying offer. Imanaga held a 4.70 second-half ERA and 8.10 ERA in two postseason starts, but he boasts a 3.28 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 291:54 K:BB over 318 regular-season innings since the beginning of the 2024 campaign.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Shota Imanaga: Handed qualifying offer
The Cubs extended Shota Imanaga a one-year, $22.05 million qualifying offer on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.Chicago opted to decline Imanaga's three-year, $57.75 million option earlier this week, but they'll extend the 32-year-old southpaw a qualifying offer. Imanaga could forego the qualifying offer and hit the open market, which would net the Cubs draft compensation if he signs elsewhere. After a stellar rookie campaign in 2024, Imanaga took a step back during the 2025 regular season. His ERA dropped from 2.91 to 3.73, his K/9 moved from 9.0 to 7.3 and his HR/9 went from 1.4 to 1.9.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Shota Imanaga: Enters free-agent market
The Cubs declined Shota Imanaga's three-year, $57.75 million option Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.The team deciding against picking up Imanaga's three-year option triggered a $15.25 million player option, which the pitcher also declined, making Imanaga a free agent. It's unclear whether the Cubs intend to make the southpaw a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer. Imanaga held a 4.70 second-half ERA and 8.10 ERA in two postseason starts, and his strikeout rate dipped to 20.6 percent in 2025. However, with a 3.28 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 291:54 K:BB over 318 regular-season innings since the beginning of the 2024 campaign, Imanaga will draw plenty of interest on the free-agent market.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Saddled with loss in Game 2
Shota Imanaga took the loss Monday in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Brewers after allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three over 2.2 innings.Imanaga was hit hard in his second appearance of the postseason, immediately squandering a three-run lead in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of a three-run home run by Andrew Vaughn. Imanaga's outing didn't improve much after this initial blow, as William Contreras struck for a solo shot in the bottom of the third, effectively ending the left-hander's outing. The silver lining to Imanaga's brief start is that he kept his pitch count low, meaning he could have a chance to come back later in the series if the Chicago Cubs are able to extend the NLDS.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Drawing start for Game 2
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Shota Imanaga will start Monday in Game 2 of the NLDS against Milwaukee, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.Imanaga last pitched Wednesday in a Game 2 wild-card loss to the Padres, throwing 67 pitches across four innings after reliever Andrew Kittredge opened the game. The 31-year-old lefty will move back into a traditional starting role Monday and will look to help the Cubs even the series after a 9-3 loss in Game 1. Imanaga faced Milwaukee three times during the regular season, allowing seven runs with 17 strikeouts and 3 walks across 17.2 innings.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Allows two runs in Game 2
Shota Imanaga gave up two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out three batters over four relief innings during Wednesday's 3-0 loss to the Padres. He did not factor into the decision.The left-hander entered the game in the second inning after opener Andrew Kittredge allowed the Padres to score a run in the first. Imanaga made it through three frames before conceding a two-run blast to Manny Machado in the fifth, which gave the Padres more insurance than it needed while the Chicago Cubs' offense struggled to put a rally together. If Chicago prevails in Thursday's win-or-go-home matchup, Imanaga would likely be in the running to pitch in Game 3 of the NLDS next Wednesday.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Lit up in loss
Shota Imanaga (9-8) allowed eight runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out three over 5.2 innings to take the loss Thursday versus the Mets.Imanaga had one of his worst starts of the year in his regular-season finale. He had not given up more than three earned runs in any of his last 10 starts, pitching to a decent 3.69 ERA over 61 innings in that span. The southpaw ends the regular season at a 3.73 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 117:26 K:BB across 144.2 innings through 25 starts. Imanaga will likely get a start during the Chicago Cubs' wild-card series, as he will be on regular rest as of Tuesday.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Settles for no-decision Friday
Shota Imanaga allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits across five innings and did not factor into the decision in Friday's 7-4 loss to the Reds. He walked two and struck out four.Imanaga was done in by the long ball, as he served up solo home runs to Miguel Andujar, Matt McLain and Spencer Steer. The lefty has now allowed exactly three earned runs in five straight starts, and he has a 4.66 ERA during that stretch. Overall, Imanaga has a 3.37 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 7.4 K/9 across 139 innings this season. The strikeouts are a step back from last year, when the 30-year-old rookie posted a 9.0 K/9. Imanaga is slated to wrap up his 2025 regular season next Friday against the Cardinals before slotting into Chicago's postseason rotation, potentially as the team's Game 1 starter.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Fans nine, tying season high
Shota Imanaga didn't factor into the decision against the Rays on Sunday, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out nine over five innings.The left-hander got off to a rough start, surrendering back-to-back solo homers to Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero to open the game before giving up another run on a two-out bunt in the third. Though he labored through a 31-pitch first inning and surpassed 60 pitches by the third, Imanaga was able to regroup, finding his command and striking out nine -- tying his season high -- while blanking Tampa Bay over his final two frames. Home runs remain a concern for the 32-year-old, who allowed 27 last season and has given up 26 this year through 39 fewer innings. Imanaga will carry a 3.29 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 110:23 K:BB across 134 innings into his next scheduled start against the Reds.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Another quality start in loss
Shota Imanaga (9-7) took the loss Monday against Atlanta, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out four.That's now seven consecutive quality starts for Imanaga, who also issued no walks for the first time since his Aug. 10 outing in St. Louis. The star left-hander has allowed fewer than six hits in eight straight appearances, and he's worked to a 3.13 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 38:6 K:BB over 46 frames since the beginning of August. Imanaga also has a 3.21 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 101:23 K:BB over 129 innings for the campaign, and he's next set to face a Rays team with a poor .655 OPS versus left-handed pitching since the All-Star break.
Shota Imanaga
#18 SP / Chi. Cubs / EXP: 2YRS Height: 5-10 Weight: 175 lb Age: 32 College: None Bats/Throws -/-Fantasy Points by Week
- Rost
- 73%
- Start
- 54%
- RP Rank
- NR