"Given the speed at which the offseason progresses, it already seems like the whole Shōta Imanaga contract business happened a long time ago. There's also a resemblance between that situation and last year's brief kerfuffle over Seiya Suzuki being shopped in the hopes that he might waive his no-trade clause. With the requisite questions about a rift between either player and the Cubs organization put to bed, at least temporarily, we can move on to what's next."
"For Imanaga, that means playing under a one-year deal worth just over $22 million in the hope that he can rebuild his value after a brutal second half. It was a no-brainer for the Cubs to decline their option on a three-year extension worth $57 million for a guy they couldn't trust in the postseason, though it wasn't as certain that Imanaga would turn down a guarantee of at least $30.5 million."
"Yoshinobu Hasegawa, Octagon's director of operations in the Pacific Rim, told reporters at the Winter Meetings in Orlando that they've identified the cause of Imanaga's disappointing performance. As indicated at the outset of free agency, they believe health was one of the factors involved. The quotes below have been translated from the comments Hasegawa made in his native tongue, so fair warning that the language is a little funky."
Offseason developments quickly moved attention past Shōta Imanaga's contract negotiations toward roster and health concerns. Imanaga accepted a one-year deal just over $22 million to restore value after a rough second half. The Cubs declined a three-year, $57 million extension because of postseason trust issues, and Imanaga turned down a guaranteed sum of at least $30.5 million to retain free-agent flexibility and the qualifying offer. Teams may be wary of offering more given his performance, age, and a potential 2027 work stoppage. Octagon identified health as a key factor and expects him to be physically fit next season.
Read at Cubsinsider
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