Shota Imanaga has become a free agent, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers on Tuesday.

The Chicago Cubs shockingly declined their three-year, $57 million club option for the left-hander’s services through 2028, which led to the veteran subsequently declining his own $15 million player option for 2026.

Imanaga’s decision brings a surprising end to what began as a stellar partnership between the two sides, as he finished with a 2.91 ERA and a 25.1% strikeout rate across 173 1/3 innings of work that earned him an All-Star nod and a fifth-place finish in National League Cy Young award voting in 2024.

The Cubs started to see the writing on the wall, however, as the 32-year-old was ultimately passed over for a do-or-die start against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 5 of the NLDS — having seen hi

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