MLB executives predict the San Francisco Giants will sign Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, the top international free agent this offseason. The 27-year-old was posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions on November 18, with his signing window open until January 2. Imai expressed a desire to compete against stars like Shohei Ohtani rather than join them.
Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old right-handed pitcher from the Saitama Seibu Lions, became available to MLB teams after being posted on November 18. His 45-day signing window closes on January 2. Last season in Nippon Professional Baseball, Imai recorded a 10-5 mark with a 1.92 ERA, striking out 178 batters while walking 45 over 163 2/3 innings. Standing at 5-foot-11, he features a fastball that reaches the upper 90s mph, along with a slider, changeup, and splitter.
In a recent appearance on "Hodo Station" with Daisuke Matsuzaka, Imai shared his mindset on transitioning to MLB. "Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki," he said, "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." He also discussed adapting to taller MLB hitters: "In MLB, the average height for a hitter is higher than in Japan, so I focus on throwing a rising, high fastball from that low release -- almost like I’m driving it upward from below. I’m very conscious about not throwing downhill from over the top."
ESPN surveyed MLB executives, who overwhelmingly picked the Giants as Imai's likely destination, with five votes compared to three each for the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, two for the Chicago Cubs, one for the Toronto Blue Jays, and one for the San Diego Padres. One executive noted, "The Giants have been in the hunt [for a Japanese pitcher] in the past; pairing Imai with Logan Webb makes a ton of sense."
The Blue Jays, who have shown long-term interest in Japanese talent, currently have no Japanese players on their 40-man roster. Their last was Yusei Kikuchi, signed in 2022 and traded to the Houston Astros in 2024. The Giants, after missing out on Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, see Imai as a chance to bolster their rotation. While Imai won't command a deal like Yamamoto's 12-year, $325 million contract, comparisons point to something around Kevin Gausman's five-year, $110 million extension with Toronto.