Shota Imanaga Enters Free Agency Market

Shota Imanaga, a left-handed pitcher, has officially entered the free agency market. This transition follows the Chicago Cubs’ decision to decline a three-year, $57 million club option for the player during the 2026-2028 seasons. Imanaga also chose to forgo his $15 million player option for 2026.

Imanaga’s Impressive Debut and Subsequent Challenges

Imanaga joined the Cubs under a four-year, $53 million contract during the 2023-24 offseason. His performance in his rookie season was notable; he posted a 2.91 ERA over 29 starts while achieving a strikeout rate of 25.1% across 173.1 innings. This exceptional debut earned him an All-Star selection and a fifth-place finish in the NL Cy Young award voting.

Early Season Struggles

However, Imanaga faced difficulties in the current season. Initially, he maintained strong results, recording a 2.82 ERA over his first eight starts. His peripherals, however, revealed a troubling 4.59 FIP and a declining strikeout rate of 18.8%. An early hamstring injury sidelined him for nearly two months, impacting his performance upon return.

Late Season Decline

After returning, Imanaga threw seven scoreless innings in his first start post-All-Star break. Unfortunately, his performance steadily declined. Between July 25 and the end of the season, Imanaga made 12 starts, yielding a 5.17 ERA with a 5.42 FIP across 69.2 innings. Notably, he allowed 20 home runs during this period, reflecting ongoing issues with giving up long balls.

Home Run Stats and Future Outlook

Imanaga’s 2024 season was similarly fraught, ending with him allowing the tenth-most home runs among qualified starters. As he enters free agency, potential teams will need to weigh his impressive rookie season against the challenges he faced this year, particularly his home run issues.

Further developments in Imanaga’s career are anticipated as he navigates the free agency landscape.