CHICAGO — The Cubs are extending the qualifying offer to two of their free agents.

One – Kyle Tucker – isn’t a surprise.

The other – Shota Imanaga – is a mild shock.

The team saddled the duo with the qualifying offer, meaning both are offered a one-year, $22.025 million pact for 2026. Tucker is expected to decline the qualifying offer, while Imanaga will be a toss-up. Both have until Nov. 18 to accept the offer. If they decline and sign elsewhere, then the Cubs will receive draft pick compensation.

Tucker is expected to be the top free agent bat on the market, meaning he’ll get both more guaranteed money and years than the qualifying offer. The Cubs declined a three-year, $57 million club option on Imanaga, triggering a one-year, $15 million player option that he declined.

The $22.025 million might be more in annual average value than Imanaga will see on a longer-term deal in free agency, but would he want to run the risk of playing on a one-year deal? Before this offseason, 144 MLB players had been issued the qualifying offer and only 14 had accepted.

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The Cincinnati Reds’ Nick Martinez is the most recent player who accepted the one-year qualifying offer, as he did so last offseason and posted a 4.45 ERA in 165.2 innings across 40 games (26 starts) in 2025.

Imanaga had been the Cubs’ most consistent starter the past two seasons, posting a 3.28 ERA in 318 innings across 54 starts since coming Stateside from the DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s top league. He was the Cubs’ Opening Day starter in the Tokyo Series this year but struggled down the stretch in 2025.

The left-hander had a 5.97 ERA in his final six starts and was plagued by the long ball, permitting 12 home runs in 34.2 innings in that span. His struggles meant he made just two appearances in the playoffs for the Cubs, pitching out of the bullpen after an opener in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series and starting a Game 2 loss in the NL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

[MORE: Why Cubs, Shota Imanaga declined contract option; what comes next]

He had an 8.10 ERA in the two games and allowed three home runs in 6.2 innings.

Sure, it’s possible Imanaga can return to some semblance of the pitcher who had a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts in 2024 and quickly became a fan favorite. But the Cubs saw the final stretch of 2025 as concerning, especially when considering locking up the 32-year-old for three years with a no-trade clause.

Now, the Cubs will wait up to 12 days to see if Imanaga is suiting up in blue pinstripes in 2026.