The MLB free agent class got a big boost earlier this month when it was announced that star Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) pitcher Tatsuya Imai would be posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions.
The negotiating period began on Nov. 19 and runs through Jan. 2, 2026, at 2 p.m. PT.
Because he is 27 years old and has played at six professional seasons, Imai isn’t subject to international bonus pool restrictions. That figures to strengthen his market as more teams presumably will be interested in the right-hander.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been speculated as a potential landing spot due to their recent success and popularity in Japan.
But Imai told former big league pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka that he prefers to help another team end the Dodgers’ dynasty, via Michael Clair and Ayako Oikawa of MLB.com:
“Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki,” Imai told the former Major League pitcher and two-time World Baseball Classic champion, “but winning against a team like that and becoming a World Champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I’d rather take them down.”
Imai additionally said he does not want to sign with a team that already has a Japanese player on their roster, so that seemingly further rules out the Dodgers as a potential landing spot.
Additionally, the Dodgers don’t have a clear need for starting pitching as they are set to return a talented group that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani, among others.
Tatsuya Imai’s career in Japan
Imai has pitched nine seasons with the Lions and is coming off his most impressive year yet. He went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 163.2 innings across 24 games.
Imai has drawn comparisons to New York Mets’ Kodai Senga and possesses a wide range of pitches that includes a fastball that can reach 99 mph.
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