Left-hander Shota Imanaga accepts $22 million qualifying offer to return to Cubs in 2026

Left-hander Shota Imanaga will return to the Cubs after accepting their $22.025 million qualifying offer for 2026.

Imanaga was one of four players who accepted the qualifying offer before the deadline Tuesday, joining Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, Tigers infielder Gleyber Torres and Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff. Before this year, only 14 of the 144 players who had received qualifying offers had accepted them.

Imanaga’s return helps to address some of the Cubs’ pitching concerns this offseason. And though the contract is for only one year, it’s at a higher value than the average of the three-year player option the Cubs declined.

Early signs at the general managers meetings last week indicated Imanaga might test the free-agent market because of his strong body of work in two seasons in MLB. By accepting the qualifying offer, however, he extended his time in Chicago, where he quickly became a fan and clubhouse favorite, and gave himself a chance to hit free agency next year without a qualifying-offer tag.

‘‘He was amazing for us as a pitcher, as a teammate,’’ Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said at GM meetings, ‘‘and I don’t want to close that door completely by any stretch.’’

Imanaga far surpassed expectations as a rookie in 2024, when he went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, earned a no-brainer All-Star selection and finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting.

He showed flashes of that same dominance in 2025 but suffered the first lower-body injury of his career, and a loss of strength and flexibility because of the strained hamstring is thought to have contributed to his struggles down the stretch. He finished the season 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA.

The Cubs’ offseason plan for Imanaga focuses on addressing those issues and on

returning his delivery to its most effective and consistent version.

‘‘The velocity comes back, the extension comes back, starting to get swing-and-miss up in the zone a little bit more,’’ general manager Carter Hawkins said. ‘‘That’s when he’s been at his best.’’

The Cubs also extended a qualifying offer to right fielder Kyle Tucker, but he was always expected to decline it and remain arguably the top free agent in this class. If he signs with a different team, the Cubs will qualify for draft compensation.

The 28-year-old Tucker’s age, tools, and reputation after four consecutive All-Star seasons will make him popular among teams looking to upgrade their lineups. In his one season with the Cubs, he posted an .841 OPS and was a Silver Slugger, boosted by a red-hot performance at the plate before the All-Star break.

The Cubs met with Tucker’s agent at the GM meetings, but their focus this offseason will lean toward pitching. Bringing back Imanaga was the first step, but they still need to rebuild their bullpen and, ideally, to further bolster their rotation with a front-line addition.

Roster moves

Tuesday was also the deadline to protect Rule 5 Draft-eligible prospects by putting them on the 40-man roster.

The Cubs did so with three players: left-hander Riley Martin and infielders Pedro Ramirez and James Triantos.

Martin, a 27-year-old Illinois native and Quincy University alum, took big strides forward at Triple-A Iowa this past season, posting a 2.69 ERA.

Ramirez, 21, advanced to Double-A Knoxville and finished with a .346 on-base percentage and 28 stolen bases.

Triantos, 22, is known for his bat-to-ball skills, but he struggled at the plate for the first time in his pro career. His batting average slipped to .258 at Iowa.