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The Chicago Cubs are getting Shota Imanaga back for 2026 on a one-year, $22 million deal, per a Patrick Mooney report. As we suspected he might, Imanaga is accepting the Cubs’ Qualifying Offer, rather than risk an uncertain free agency with draft pick compensation attached.

It has been said that there is no such thing as a bad one-year deal, and that had to be some of the philosophy animating the Cubs’ willingness to extend the Qualifying Offer in the first place. They had to know Imanaga may well accept, and they therefore had to be content to have him back on that deal.

FULL STORY (via Brett Taylor):

More Chicago Cubs from Bleacher Nation

• Here’s a Look at the 2026 Cubs Payroll After the Shota Imanaga Decision

• Kyle Tucker and Eight Other Free Agents Reject Qualifying Offers

• Japanese Infielder Kazuma Okamoto Will Be Posted at the Same Time as Tatsuya Imai

• REPORT: Cubs Will “Rejoin the Fray” for Free Agent 3B Alex Bregman This Winter

• Are Teams Pursuing Brad Keller as a Starting Pitcher? If So, Does That Mean a Definite Farewell from the Cubs?

• Big Day for the Early Offseason, Imanaga, Player Impact of Sports Betting, and Other Cubs Bullets

Feldco: The Home Renewal Experts

Bleacher Nation is proud to partner with Feldco. For almost 50 years, Feldco has been transforming Chicagoland homes with their windows, siding, doors and roofing. Feldco is family owned and prides themselves on delighting their customers. With products made in the U.S and designed specifically for the Midwest, Feldco offers the perfect balance of beauty and energy efficiency.

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• The Bears Have Signed All-Pro Special Teams Ace Jalen Reeves-Maybin

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