When the Chicago Cubs signed left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga out of Japan, no one knew what to expect from him. He was already 30 years old, and transitioning from the Nippon Professional Baseball League to the Major Leagues isn’t always the easiest.

However, Imanaga immediately came in and dominated in his first year in the Majors. He tossed six shutout innings with nine strikeouts against the Colorado Rockies in his first professional start and carried that momentum throughout the year.

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That led to Imanaga ending the year with a 2.91 ERA, a 1.021 WHIP, and 174 strikeouts across 173 â…“ innings pitched. Those numbers also helped him make his first All-Star appearance and finish fifth in the National League Cy Young Award voting.

Unfortunately, the southpaw took a huge step back in 2025. His ERA dropped 82 points (3.73 ERA), his strikeout rate fell to 20.6%, and the home runs were a huge problem. He gave up 31 home runs this past season (tied for the fourth-most in baseball).

Most importantly, Imanaga’s fastball velocity dropped significantly from the year before. In 2024, the Japanese native averaged 91.5 mph on his fastball. In 2025, his fastball velocity average fell to 90.8 mph. That 0.7 mph drop was a substantial difference.

The weird thing about Imanaga’s 2025 season, though, was that he actually posted above-average numbers in the first half. The 32-year-old had a 2.40 ERA and 53 strikeouts across 75 innings pitched in his first 13 starts.

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The second half of the season was when Imanaga really fell off. He gave up seven earned runs across three innings in a start against the Chicago White Sox on July 25, and things went downhill from there. The left-hander had a rough 5.17 ERA over his final 12 starts.

Following those second-half numbers, it’s not surprising that Imanaga’s stock is currently down. The Cubs declined his three-year $57 million club option this offseason, which resulted in the former All-Star accepting the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer for the 2026 season.

With Imanaga essentially playing on a one-year deal, the Cubs need him to show up as his 2024 self next season. That was the pitcher who was almost untouchable on the mound, had emerged as a top-of-the-line starting pitcher, and whom fans loved to watch.

So, which version of Imanaga will show up in 2026?

The Cubs are hoping it’s that 2024 version.