Bruce Levine: Many in baseball were 'shocked' that Shota Imanaga came back to Cubs on qualifying offer

Watch Bruce Levine: Many in baseball were 'shocked' that Shota Imanaga came back to Cubs on qualifying offer - WSCR-AM / 670 The Score on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Well, I think there were a lot of shocked people that he accepted it, okay?

00:04I mean, you know, initially he could have taken the option after the Cubs refused the three-year deal and the option they had.

00:14He could have taken their option for 15, still had another option for 27 at 15.

00:22So it's a little surprising because he could have guaranteed himself $30 million.

00:27The study takes the $22 million here, and I think him and his agents were looking at the pitching market out there

00:37and realizing that with possible work stoppage in 27 looming that the long-term deals that he might be looking for just weren't there.

00:48So take the $22 million, go back and be the same version that he was in 2024 for the Cubs,

00:55have the option if there isn't any baseball in Chicago or anywhere else in the United States after one year to go back to Japan.