Time is running out for Tatsuya Imai, Japan’s premier free agent pitcher this offseason, as he must finalize a deal with an MLB team before the posting period closes on Friday at 5 p.m. ET. Although few teams have publicly linked themselves to the seasoned Seibu Lions pitcher, there is strong industry optimism that Imai will secure a contract with a major league club before the deadline.
At 27, Imai presents an appealing mix of potential and reliability, especially for a free agent pitcher of his age. Unlike Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the 2025 World Series MVP, Imai’s athletic skills, track record, and pitching quality don’t quite match up. He respects the benchmark set by Yamamoto’s massive 12-year, $325 million deal but is expected to earn more than $100 million himself, aiming high with the help of his agent, Scott Boras.
Imai is a well-known figure in Japan, having risen to prominence in the 2016 Koshien high school baseball tournament, where he pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts and allowed just one run in the final as the ace for Sakushin Gakuin High School. This performance catapulted him to become the top pick in the 2016 NPB draft.
His professional career started slowly. As a rookie for Seibu in 2018 at age 20, he posted a 4.81 ERA over 78 2/3 innings. Gradually, his performance improved, though he faced challenges like injuries and control issues, including a high walk rate of over 13% from 2018 to 2023, which is unusually high compared to MLB standards.
To address this, Imai intentionally modified his pitching mechanics to improve accuracy. This adjustment paid off with a lowered walk rate to 9.8% in 2024 and further down to 7% in 2025, alongside an impressive increase in strikeouts. His breakout 2025 season featured 24 starts, an average of at least one strikeout per inning, and a stellar 1.92 ERA.
This surge has made Imai appealing to many MLB teams, most of whom need rotation reinforcements. Unlike fellow Japanese free agent Munetaka Murakami, whose market is limited by higher risk, Imai is viewed as a dependable option. His pitching skills—reliant on a four-seam fastball averaging 95 mph and a slider—are comparable to top pitchers like Spencer Strider and Jacob deGrom, especially in their strategic use of pitches against right-handed batters.
Against lefties, he effectively mixes in a changeup and splitter, adding deception with his low arm slot, which has drawn comparisons to Mariners’ Luis Castillo. A difference is durability; while Castillo has been a consistent starter, Imai has not exceeded 25 starts in a season yet.
Several major teams with well-stocked rotations, like the , New York, and Toronto, haven’t emerged as frontrunners for Imai. Teams like the Mets, Phillies, Cubs, and Giants have shown interest but face their own roster or budget challenges. Nevertheless, Imai’s skill set and steady development make him a strong candidate for mid-rotation roles on playoff-contending teams such as Baltimore, Detroit, Miami, Arizona, and even Sacramento.
Imai’s combination of athleticism, growth mindset, and pitching arsenal promises a solid MLB career with potential for even greater success if he continues progressing. Baseball fans have much to look forward to in the coming days as this exciting player’s future becomes clearer.
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Fan Take: Tatsuya Imai’s impending MLB move is a thrilling development for baseball fans worldwide, highlighting the increasing global talent infusion into the league. His success could not only bolster any team’s rotation but also deepen the sport’s international appeal, inspiring more young pitchers abroad to follow in his footsteps.
