The Chicago Cubs may end up wishing they had pushed harder to land Tatsuya Imai. The Japanese standout surprised much of Major League Baseball by signing a three-year, $54 million deal with the Houston Astros. With performance bonuses, Imai’s contract could ultimately be worth as much as $63 million.
Although the Cubs ultimately failed to sign the pitcher, MLB insider Mark Feinsand reports that Chicago did show interest. Imai was broadly viewed as a top-ten free agent after delivering dominant performances in Japan, highlighted by a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts across 163.2 innings for the Seibu Lions in 2025.
Despite this interest, Feinsand does not believe that the Cubs will now target another top free agent pitcher going forward. “A number of clubs were interested in Imai to varying degrees, but the Cubs seem to have been the most aggressive suitor after the Astros,” claimed the reporter.
“That doesn’t mean Chicago will now pivot to one of the other top free-agent starters, as Ranger Suarez and Framber Valdez figure to cost significantly more than Imai — who will earn between $18 million and $21 million in each of the next three seasons, depending on performance bonuses and can opt out after 2026 and 2027.”
Chicago Cubs Miss Out on Team-Friendly Imai Deal
Imai’s contract with Houston would appear to be a solid deal for the team. According to ESPN, Valdez’s upcoming contract could reach $28 million per season. Suarez, on the other hand, is predicted to earn around $23 million annually with a new team. Imai’s figure in the $20 million range would signify a bit of discount. This is because all three pitchers were regularly seen as in the same category by most experts.
Feinsand’s new prediction will likely not go down well in Chicago. After all, the club is in desperate need of quality starting pitching in 2026. It was revealed in November that team officials specifically labeled improving the rotation as a key priority. These execs even believe that the club fell short in the 2025 playoffs due to a lack of top starters.
On top of missing out on Imai, the Cubs are also losing Kyle Tucker. The free agent was arguably Chicago’s best overall player in 2025 and is almost certain to sign with another team this winter. Tucker is the consensus top free agent in baseball.
