CHICAGO — Shota Imanaga is staying with the Chicago Cubs for at least one more season.

Imanaga accepted the Cubs’ qualifying offer ahead of Tuesday’s 3 p.m. deadline, a source confirmed to the Chicago Tribune. Kyle Tucker declined his qualifying offer as expected, which will net the Cubs draft-pick compensation if the 28-year-old right fielder signs elsewhere.

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Imanaga was one of four players to accept among the 13 big leaguers who were tendered a qualifying offer. The 32-year-old left-hander will earn $22.025 million in 2026.

Tucker’s decision was a no-brainer with him positioned to earn a lucrative long-term contract. Imanaga faced a more difficult choice: take the high salary and stay with the Cubs for another season or seek a multiyear deal with more guaranteed money but likely a lower salary next year.

The Cubs would not have been surprised if Imanaga had turned down the qualifying offer in an effort to find a multiyear deal elsewhere. Earlier this month they chose to decline the three-year, $57 million club option in Imanaga’s contract, triggering a $15 million player option for 2026 that he declined.

“We have really good feelings toward him, and our decision doesn’t reflect at all our feelings about Shota,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said last week at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas. “I don’t think his decision reflects how he feels. Both sides are trying to make the best decision for them, and we’ll continue to have dialogue.

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“Obviously he struggled a bit at the end (of this past season). But when you look at the entire body of work over the two years, it was exceptional.”

The Cubs still can negotiate a multiyear deal with Imanaga, though clearly the two sides view his value differently. Pitching was already a priority for Hoyer and the Cubs this offseason. Imanaga’s return doesn’t change that approach. The organization is emphasizing that need as the Cubs look to bolster the rotation and rebuild the bullpen.