Just a few days back, Shota Imanaga found himself in a bit of a holding pattern. The Chicago Cubs had given him a one-year qualifying offer, and the two-time All-Star had until Tuesday to decide whether to accept the team’s terms. Now that the deal’s done, the front office’s response speaks volumes.

Imanaga accepted the Cubs’ qualifying offer worth $22.025 million, letting go of free agency. Insider George Ofman reported on the Cubs’ management reaction to Shota Imanaga’s acceptance of the offer. He shared on X: “Told Cubs were stunned Imanaga accepted qualifying offer. They expected to get a draft pick. Hampers their offer season spending plans.”

During his 2025 campaign, the southpaw compiled a 9-8 record. He also recorded a 3.73 ERA, striking out 117 batters over the course of 144.2 innings. And all that happened amidst his injuries in May and June. But as per Ofman, Chicago was prepared for Shota Imanaga’s exit, sign with another team, and then net them a compensatory draft selection.

Now, the club misses out on the draft bonus and is still on the hook for his $22 million salary in 2026. From a payroll standpoint, this agreement secures a considerable financial commitment for the Cubs.

The team chose not to exercise Imanaga’s club option for the 2026-28 seasons, a decision that would have locked in roughly $57.75 million. Subsequently, he turned down his $15.25 million player option for 2026.

By choosing the QO, Imanaga leaves some money on the table, but the Cubs will pay his full salary. This limits their options for adding more players to the starting rotation. So, does that mean they will not proceed with adding more arms?

Jon Morosi put it straight that with Shota Imanaga back in the rotation, Craig Counsell isn’t done chasing rotation upgrades.

“With Shota coming back, we got that full-screen bill. … there is going to be one more significant pitcher added to this list between now and Opening Day. Michael King has been on the Cubs’ mind. Dylan Cease has been on their mind.”

Market assessments from Spotrac suggest that Michael King and Dylan Cease have combined worths of $92 million and $185 million, totaling about $277 million.

Now, with Imanaga joining the team, the Cubs’ starting rotation would include Imanaga, Cade Horton, and Justin Steele, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Acquiring either King or Cease would signal the Cubs’ serious intent to compete for a championship.

While Dylan Cease’s 4.55 ERA over 165 innings screams rougher 2025 lines, “since 2021, nobody in baseball has taken the ball to start more often.” Plus, he’s the only pitcher with over 200 strikeouts in each of the last five seasons. For King, in 2025, he made only 15 starts due to his knee issues and shoulder problems. But for the past 2 seasons, “he’s been borderline top-of-the-rotation good.” That makes his career ERA stand at 3.24 for 494.2 IP.

Sure, Imanaga’s acceptance of the qualifying offer surprised the front office and impacted the team’s finances, limiting Chicago’s offseason plans. But we can’t ignore the upside.

They have now secured one starting pitcher. The only challenge remains in finding the “significant pitcher” that Morosi mentioned.

Prioritizing pitching: Cubs’ offseason mission

At the recent GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Jed Hoyer made it clear. “We’re gonna have an active offseason … I think the largest focus will be on pitching; I think that’s obvious looking at our depth chart. We’re in pretty good position on the position-player side; on the pitching side, we’re thinner.”

The core of Chicago’s position players is mostly established. However, the rotation’s health and peak performance remain uncertain.

Justin Steele’s elbow surgery recovery, along with a bullpen in desperate need of reinforcements, has the pitching staff in a less secure position than the position players.

Tim Kelly, baseball analyst at Bleacher Report, interprets Hoyer’s statements as a signal of intent. He anticipates the Chicago Cubs will aggressively pursue starting pitchers in free agency, rather than settling for temporary fixes.

This winter, the focus isn’t on big-name signings or spectacular trades. The front office is banking on significant victories coming from the pitching staff. Now with Shota Imanaga back in the roster, it will be a show in itself to watch what the Northsiders will decide in this offseason.