This season is going to have a lot more impact on players than the other seasons because baseball will be back in just a few more months. With the World Baseball Classic taking place in March 2026, this offseason is going to be a make-or-break for many players, and one such player whose season is about to break is former Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga. At least according to reports, that is what is going to happen if he can’t find a team.

It was reported by Jon Morosi that, “Shōta Imanaga joins Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez among the top left-handed starters in free agency. With Imanaga likely joining a new team this winter, the chances of him pitching in the @WBCBaseball have diminished.” And after how the season ended for Imanaga, Morosi might be right this time, unlike the time with Shohei Ohtani and the Blue Jays.

Shota Imanaga’s 2025 season began with the same promise that defined his rookie year in Chicago. After going 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 2024, he entered the new season as the Cubs’ Opening Day starter. But a hamstring injury in May kept him sidelined for seven weeks, disrupting his rhythm and consistency. When he returned, the command that once defined him faltered, and the long ball became his undoing.

Across 25 starts, Imanaga posted a 3.73 ERA and allowed 24 home runs over his final 14 appearances. He finished the season with a 5.42 ERA in that stretch and an 8.10 mark in the postseason. His absence from Game 5 of the NLDS, a bullpen game loss to Milwaukee, symbolized a frustrating end. Even so, his overall numbers remained respectable, with 144.2 innings and a 0.99 WHIP across the season.

This week, the Chicago Cubs declined their three-year, $57 million club option, and Imanaga rejected his $15 million player option. The decision makes him a free agent months before the 2026 World Baseball Classic roster selections. At 32, his next team remains uncertain, which could affect his spot with Samurai Japan. For fans who once saw him beat Team USA for WBC gold, the uncertainty feels quietly unsettling.

If Shota Imanaga’s story proves anything, it’s that baseball rarely follows perfect scripts. Jon Morosi’s prediction might sting, but his timing could finally be right this offseason. For now, Imanaga’s next pitch might decide both his paycheck and Japan’s WBC rotation.

With Imanaga gone, the Cubs have 2 more options they could go for in the offseason

The Chicago Cubs love to complicate simple things. While most teams use the offseason to build, the Cubs seem to use it to brainstorm new ways to test their fans’ patience. With Shota Imanaga’s future now in limbo, the front office faces yet another round of “who’s next?” debates. But if history’s any clue, two names stand out as the likely answers to their latest puzzle.

With Shota Imanaga’s status uncertain, the Cubs are now evaluating two familiar arms in Lucas Giolito and Brandon Woodruff. Giolito, who declined his 2026 mutual option with Boston, recorded a 3.41 ERA across 26 starts last season. The Cubs have shown interest in him before, especially during the 2024 trade deadline. His consistency and familiarity with Chicago make him a logical target for a rotation needing reliability and depth.

Woodruff, meanwhile, declined his mutual option with Milwaukee after posting a 3.62 ERA in 12 starts in 2025. He missed the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery but returned strong in limited action. The connection to manager Craig Counsell, who managed him with the Brewers, strengthens his potential fit. For a Cubs staff searching for proven arms, Woodruff’s experience and upside could help stabilize a rotation missing Imanaga’s certainty.

Giolito brings reliability, Woodruff brings experience, and both bring the kind of risk Chicago understands. The Cubs rarely make things easy, but sometimes chaos leads to the right rotation fix. If patience is truly a virtue, Cubs fans might finally be due a little reward.