Cubs can't stop frustrating fans—and their Shota Imanaga decision proves it

On Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs opted not to pick up their three-year, $57 million option on Shota Imanaga and cleared the way for him to enter free agency. It wasn't a complete surprise, given his struggles in the second half and the team's desire to keep the books clean for 2027, but the decision is still a bit of a shock to the system, nonetheless. Just a few short months ago, nobody would've questioned keeping the Throwing Philosopher on the North Side. Now, he's potentially out the door, barring his acceptance of a qualifying offer if it's extended.

There were fair arguments either way on the Cubs' ultimate choice. On the one hand, he tied for allowing the fourth-most home runs of any pitcher with a minimum of 140 innings at 31 over the whole year. Compared to his excellent 2.91 ERA in 2024, he regressed to a 3.73 ERA with a much worse 4.86 FIP on the year, taking a particularly bad turn from July 25 onward, where he posted a 5.17 ERA with a 5.42 FIP after returning from a hamstring injury. Not to mention, he's now 32.

On the other hand, pitching is expensive, and $57 million for three years of Imanaga isn't some terrible gamble. That seemed mighty affordable for a team that operates on a budget, even if the impending lockout left open the chance for a lost season. Considering his hamstring, there's at least reason to hope that when healthy, he can be back to being effective, if not quite as good as 2024.

Whatever camp you sit in, though, there's no denying that how this all ended is dismaying for so many reasons. From the beginning, when he arrived at Cubs Convention and recited "Go Cubs Go," Imanaga had the feeling of a Chicago folk hero. In a year where the team spurned a pursuit of eventual World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and failed to meet Shohei Ohtani's demands, the lefty seemingly fell into their laps and immediately managed to defy all expectations and endear himself to the city.

2024 saw "Shotamania" take over Chicago throughout April and May. Through his first nine starts, he had a 0.84 ERA and earned comparisons to the great Fernando Valenzuela along the way. With how much emotion he showed on the mound after recording big outs, he was fun to watch, too. To cap off such a great first season, in which he also earned an All-Star nod, he also took part in Wrigley's first combined no-hitter in 52 years.

Even if it was a step back, 2025 still provided more of the same thrills and had us marveling at how often the Cubs won with Imanaga on the mound. He also got more of the spotlight during the Tokyo Series against the Dodgers, further underscoring the inroads the team had made in Japan. He was appearing on Marquee Sports Network commercials and, with Justin Steele out for most of the year, he became the face of the rotation.

Shota Imanaga's departure would be a frustrating end for a Cubs favorite

That's what made the downturn so hard to watch. At the very least, he got to celebrate a playoff clinch and a Wild Card win with the team and partake in champagne, but the ride ended in about the worst way possible with a disastrous Game 2 start against the Brewers and a brutal loss in Game 5 in which Craig Counsell never called his name. It was a tough way to go for a player who had become such a fan favorite and once seemed to be at the beating heart of the next great Cubs team.

At the end of the day, beyond winning, fans want their teams to have recognizable faces. They want guys they can feel both safe and happy buying jerseys of because they'll be around and good for a while. They want personalities to latch onto who show fire while wearing their team's colors. Imanaga felt like one of those guys at a time when the Cubs lacked a name quite like that. He represented a big-time free agency win for a team that needed one. That he's now on the verge of leaving — and it's not even unjustifiable — is incredibly disheartening after what was shaping up to be a long, enjoyable, and fruitful partnership.

This rotation could, and likely will, be better in 2026 if they repurpose the money towards someone like Dylan Cease or Michael King. Still, Imanaga's presence on the mound would be missed.