The Cubs have already made one thing clear this winter: they’re not diving headfirst into the Tarik Skubal chase. Jed Hoyer appears to be shopping in a different aisle, targeting starters who bring either strikeout stuff or the kind of groundball profile that can play up. That’s where Shota Imanaga still lingers as a possible fit.
Cubs insider Sahadev Sharma recently worked through a long list of free-agent pitchers and noted that Imanaga’s strikeout rate is in the range the Cubs like. He also suggested that, “at the right price”, the two sides could find their way back to one another.
The key phrase there is right price. Chicago does not sound eager to stretch beyond its comfort zone to make a reunion happen.
That would be a notable turn, considering Imanaga has spent the last three seasons - his entire MLB career - with the Cubs. After a back-and-forth last offseason, Hoyer gave him a qualifying offer, and Imanaga accepted it, bringing him back for 2026. He rewarded that decision with a strong season, throwing a career-high 174 1/3 innings and posting a 3.77 ERA across 32 starts.
The concern, as it has been, is the ball leaving the yard. Home runs remain the biggest blemish on Imanaga’s profile and the loudest reason teams will hesitate. Some around the game believe San Francisco could make sense for him, with its spacious ballpark offering a better chance to keep fly balls in play than Wrigley Field.
Still, Imanaga closed the year well. Over his final five starts, he turned in a 2.25 ERA and struck out 26 batters in 24 innings.
That late push didn’t carry into October, though. He was on the Cubs’ roster for the playoffs, but Chicago never used him during its two-game Wild Card sweep at the hands of the Padres.
After last fall’s blow-up on the mound, it’s fair to wonder how much trust remains.
Even with that uncertainty, the Cubs need arms, and they need more than one. If the price is manageable, Imanaga would still make sense as a back-end rotation option. The market should start moving soon, and his next stop will say plenty about how teams value the left-hander’s mix of strikeouts, innings, and home run risk.
In Other News...
Jed Hoyer Is Sending Cubs Fans A Familiar Offseason Warning
The Cubs offseason is already taking shape with a familiar kind of restraint. Rather than diving into the top of the pitching market, the front office is being linked to a quieter plan that reflects both budget realities and the uncertainty hanging over the sport. Tarik Skubal would be the kind of arm that changes a rotation, but Chicago appears prepared to watch from the sidelines while bigger-spending clubs like the Dodgers and Mets set the pace.
Instead, the focus seems to be on more manageable moves, including trying to bring back pitchers such as Clay Holmes and David Peterson while exploring whether Adrian Morejon could be stretched into a starting role. The broader message from the GM Meetings was less about urgency than caution, a sign the Cubs may be waiting to see how the market and the labor situation develop before making their biggest decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs May Be Losing A Dream Pitching Target At The Worst Time
The next MLB offseason already has the feel of something unusual, with collective bargaining talks looming and a likely owner-implemented lockout set to begin Dec. 2. If that happens, the usual winter rhythm could get thrown off, which is why the General Managers Meetings in November may end up carrying more weight than usual for clubs trying to get business done before the calendar gets turned upside down.
For the Cubs, that matters because one of the biggest pitching names on the market may be slipping out of reach. Tarik Skubal had been viewed as a potential dream target, but reports now indicate Chicago is not expected to be among the major bidders, a notable shift for a team that could have used a front-line arm if the market opened the way many expected. With the offseason already looking volatile, the Cubs may have to watch a premium opportunity move elsewhere before the real bidding even fully begins. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Brown Uncertainty Just Raised The Stakes For Cubs Free Agency
The Cubs already had a rotation puzzle on their hands entering the offseason, with multiple free agents to sort through and injury concerns lingering around the staff. Ben Brown only adds to the uncertainty. The right-hander has not resumed throwing after a recurring neck injury, and the possibility of surgery has put another layer of doubt over how Chicago approaches its pitching plans.
For a team trying to rebuild the rotation, Browns status matters because it changes the level of risk the front office has to manage. Chicago cannot afford to treat the staff as a finished project, and the latest update only reinforces the need for aggressive moves as the Cubs weigh how much help they need and how quickly they need it. [Read more 🡒]