Cubs' Jed Hoyer Weighs In on Shota Imanaga's Future, Focus on Pitching Depth
The Chicago Cubs are set to make a decision on left-hander Shota Imanaga's future with the team. The 28-year-old pitcher has two years left on his current contract, but he will be eligible for free agency after this season. As of Tuesday, Imanaga is still weighing his options.
Cubs President and General Manager Jed Hoyer acknowledged that there's a strong case to be made for keeping Imanaga in Chicago. "We value Shota a ton," Hoyer said at the general managers' meetings in Las Vegas. "He was amazing for us as a pitcher, as a teammate... We didn’t think the club option was the right value."
Hoyer explained that while they wanted to re-sign Imanaga, he and his team did not reach an agreement on the terms of the deal.
Imanaga has been a valuable asset for the Cubs since being traded from Japan in 2020. His performance this season was still "exceptional," despite a lower-body injury that affected him down the stretch. Hoyer stated that Imanaga's future is now dependent on his decision regarding a qualifying offer, and he doesn't think it will impact their relationship with him if he declines.
Hoyer also addressed the Cubs' need for pitching depth. The team wants to bolster its rotation and add more stability to its bullpen.
"We're thinner on the pitching side," Hoyer stated. "On the position-player side, we're in pretty good position." He plans to explore trades and free agency this offseason.
The Cubs signed Matthew Boyd and Brad Keller last season, both of whom contributed significantly to their success. Imanaga's decision will set an example for how the team approaches its own pitching needs.
Hoyer made it clear that his team is open to exploring all options, including trading and signing free agents. He also reassured fans that the Cubs are committed to making the best decisions for the club.
"I expect to explore trades... I expect to explore free agency," Hoyer said. "Both at the top of the market, but then also looking at minor-league free agency."
Imanaga's decision on the qualifying offer will be a key factor in shaping the Cubs' pitching plans for the upcoming season.
The Chicago Cubs are set to make a decision on left-hander Shota Imanaga's future with the team. The 28-year-old pitcher has two years left on his current contract, but he will be eligible for free agency after this season. As of Tuesday, Imanaga is still weighing his options.
Cubs President and General Manager Jed Hoyer acknowledged that there's a strong case to be made for keeping Imanaga in Chicago. "We value Shota a ton," Hoyer said at the general managers' meetings in Las Vegas. "He was amazing for us as a pitcher, as a teammate... We didn’t think the club option was the right value."
Hoyer explained that while they wanted to re-sign Imanaga, he and his team did not reach an agreement on the terms of the deal.
Imanaga has been a valuable asset for the Cubs since being traded from Japan in 2020. His performance this season was still "exceptional," despite a lower-body injury that affected him down the stretch. Hoyer stated that Imanaga's future is now dependent on his decision regarding a qualifying offer, and he doesn't think it will impact their relationship with him if he declines.
Hoyer also addressed the Cubs' need for pitching depth. The team wants to bolster its rotation and add more stability to its bullpen.
"We're thinner on the pitching side," Hoyer stated. "On the position-player side, we're in pretty good position." He plans to explore trades and free agency this offseason.
The Cubs signed Matthew Boyd and Brad Keller last season, both of whom contributed significantly to their success. Imanaga's decision will set an example for how the team approaches its own pitching needs.
Hoyer made it clear that his team is open to exploring all options, including trading and signing free agents. He also reassured fans that the Cubs are committed to making the best decisions for the club.
"I expect to explore trades... I expect to explore free agency," Hoyer said. "Both at the top of the market, but then also looking at minor-league free agency."
Imanaga's decision on the qualifying offer will be a key factor in shaping the Cubs' pitching plans for the upcoming season.
... i remember watching shota imanaga play for the cubs and he was like a new kid on the block 
. now he's been with them for years and he's still throwing fire 
. Jed hoyer is right, we do need to bolster our pitching depth... it's crazy how thin we are in that department 
. but at the same time, i love how they're leaving the door open for imanaga to stay with us... fingers crossed he decides to stick around 
. and omg, can't wait to see what trades and free agency brings this offseason 
... it's gonna be a wild ride 
.
The thing that got me thinking is how Jed Hoyer is being super chill about Shota Imanaga's future, but still wants to re-sign him... like what does that even mean? 
Either you're gonna give him a deal or you're not. And then he talks about the Cubs needing more pitching depth and it's like yeah, no kidding! The thing is though, why are they being so transparent about everything? I mean I get that transparency is key, but sometimes it feels like they're just testing the waters to see what people think... 
, he's been such an awesome pitcher for the Cubs since joining the team back in 2020 
! The fact that Jed Hoyer is giving him options and not making a decision right now is actually super cool 
, it shows that they value him as a player. I think it's great that Hoyer is planning to explore trades and free agency to strengthen the pitching depth 
, it'll be interesting to see how the team approaches this in the offseason.
️. If he decides to stay with the team, I'm sure they'll make him a top priority, and if not... well, we can't know what the future holds yet 
!
[GIF of a baseball trading card being rejected by a faceless AI]
they just need to stop being so soft on their own players and actually make some tough decisions 