Cubs insider leaves little doubt about the odds of a reunion with Shota Imanaga

Shota Imanaga finished the 2026 season on the upswing, posting a 2.25 ERA across five September starts. Thanks to the Chicago Cubs' near-instant departure from the MLB playoffs, he never got a shot at October redemption - and a new report suggests he never will (at least not in a Cubs uniform).

In the latest episode of North Sider Territory, Cubs beat writer Patrick Mooney made it very clear that it might be best for all involved to part ways this winter. For Mooney, the signs are all there: not trusting Imanaga last October, declining to pick up his three-year option before settling on a qualifying offer - it's clear Chicago doesn't view Imanaga as a reliable front-end starter.

He also points out that Imanaga might prefer a home ballpark that doesn't punish his fly-ball-heavy tendencies that cost him dearly at different points in his Cubs career. Imanaga allowed a career-worst 35 home runs this season, which ranked second-most in all of MLB behind only Phillies' veteran Aaron Nola.

All told, it wasn't a bad investment for Jed Hoyer. Imanaga peaked in his rookie season, finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and fifth in Cy Young balloting, but there was more good than bad with the southpaw. Across three years, he racked up nearly 500 innings of work, pitching to a 3.45 ERA and 1.038 WHIP. You'll take that all day.

High expectations, home runs proved costly for Cubs' Shota Imanaga

On the heels of that breakout rookie campaign in 2024, everyone believed Chicago finally had its ace. Instead, they got a wildly inconsistent sophomore season that ended with Craig Counsell opting for a bullpen game in a must-win Game 5 of last year's NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers that sent a clear message about the team's lack of trust in Imanaga.

To his credit, the 32-year-old handled it like a professional and, after a convoluted back-and-forth last offseason, he returned to the Cubs. Imanaga struggled in the first half before finding his groove down the stretch, but after it felt like he was gone last winter, this time it feels like 'goodbye' for real. In a soft starting pitching market, Imanaga should be able to cash in on a new multi-year deal, but it's not coming from Hoyer and company.

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