Giving up 104 million yuan! Japanese left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga bids farewell to the Chicago Cubs and enters the free agent market.

The MLB World Series recently ended, and the free agent market opened right after. Chicago Cubs’ Japanese southpaw Shota Imanaga is officially on the free agent list. MLB sources state that the Cubs opted not to trigger the contract extension clause, while Imanaga refused to use his player option valued at $15 million (around 104 million yuan), finalizing their separation as he seeks a new club.

Last year, Shota Imanaga joined the Cubs through the posting system, officially starting his career in the U.S., signing a four-year deal worth $53 million, which included both team and player options.

In his first season, Imanaga delivered an impressive performance with a 15-3 record and a 2.91 ERA, becoming a key starter for the Cubs. He was selected for the All-Star Game and tied Daisuke Matsuzaka's record for 15 wins in a rookie MLB season. However, his form declined this season, posting a 9-8 record with a 3.73 ERA over 25 starts, allowing a career-high 31 home runs, and his ERA peaked at 5.17 during the campaign.

This decline in performance caused the Cubs to hesitate over exercising Imanaga’s contract extension option, ultimately deciding against activating the $57 million extension covering 2026 to 2028. Although Imanaga had the right to trigger a $15 million player option for 2026, he chose to forgo it, confirming his departure from the Cubs and entry into free agency.

According to U.S. media, the Cubs' main reason for declining the extension was the perception that the $57 million price tag over three years was too steep. However, Imanaga remains confident in his value and is expected to draw interest from several teams, including the Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants.