Left-hander Shōta Imanaga and Chicago Cubs finalize $53 million, 4-year contract
Japanese left-hander Shōta Imanaga and the Chicago Cubs finalized a $53 million, four-year contract, a deal that includes a club option that could make the agreement worth $80 million over five seasons
CHICAGO (AP) — Japanese left-hander Shōta Imanaga and the Chicago Cubs finalized a $53 million, four-year contract on Thursday, a deal that includes a club option that could make the agreement worth $80 million over five seasons.
Chicago can exercise a 2028 option after 2025 or '26. If the team declines the option in either instance, Imanaga would have the right to opt out of the remainder of the contract to become a free agent.
Chicago must pay a posting fee of $9,825,000 to the Yokohama BayStars of Japan’s Central League. The amount of the fee would increase if the option is exercised.
The 30-year-old Imanaga, who got the win for Japan in last year’s World Baseball Classic final against the United States, had until 5 p.m. EST on Thursday for a finalized agreement to be submitted to Major League Baseball.
