How Shota Imanaga's Cubs Contract Is Both Great AND Worrisome

Even through this tough stretch of baseball, the Chicago Cubs remain a contender in the National League, mostly because Shota Imanaga gets handed the baseball every fifth day. Nobody could have predicted how important he would be to this team, but here we are.

Imanaga chose Chicago as his destination to come over from Japan and enter Major League Baseball in free agency this past winter. The minute he touched down locally, he integrated himself with the city and its culture. He went to Blackhawks and football games, ate the food, saw and learned the sights and sounds, and became one of us. It's almost as if he was made for Chicago, and we're happy to have him.

Shota Imanaga's performance on the field certainly helps his status as a fan favorite, too. He has a perfect 5-0 record through nine starts with a league-leading 0.89 earned run average. Manager Craig Counsell talked about his recent successes, saying it would be crazy to expect a pitcher to have an ERA not close to at least 3.00. However, Imanaga is giving a serious run at historic numbers because he makes history almost every start.

Initially, Imanaga was seen as a nice consolation prize for losing out on Shohei Ohtani. But the Cubs are beyond lucky to have him on their team and are reaping the benefits of his presence both on and off the field. That said, his being here and succeeding as much as he is could backfire when the Cubs enter free agency after the season's end.

Shota Imanaga's Contract Is Proving Cubs', Jed Hoyer's Point

Cubs fans are well aware that Owner Tom Ricketts and President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer are hesitant to hand out long, lucrative contracts to players during free agency or extension talks. They believe in using their scouts and farm systems to find players they can either further develop or sign to shorter, cheaper contracts. Some believe this is in response to the Cubs handing Jason Heyward an 8-year, $184 million contract. Heyward batted just .245 with 62 home runs in seven years with the Cubs.

Shota Imanaga's four-year deal is worth $53 million, a steal at this point. The Cubs have a club option to add a fifth year at the end. However, a mutual option exists for years three and four (2026 and 2027 seasons). Imanaga and the Cubs would have to agree on the $13.25 million salary for those years. If Imanaga continues on the path he's forging, he is likely to opt out for more money. And while the Cubs are a top-three market in sports with plenty of revenue, they rarely shell out all the money they can to win - as the Yankees and Dodgers do. It's realistic that Imanaga's first two years in Chicago could be his last two.

So, what does this mean for the 2024-2025 offseason? Hoyer and the front office got Imanaga for a steal, and they will likely try to find another diamond in the rough rather than go for a big name and spend a lot of money. Juan Soto will lead the free agent class and command the market.

Other free agents of note that the Cubs could use (but will not pay for): Pete Alonso, Paul Goldschmidt, Alex Bregman, and Gerrit Cole (just dreaming over here).