The next couple days will see at least two big-ticket free agents come off the board. Japanese stars Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto are nearing the end of their respective 45-day posting windows. Imai has until Friday at 4:00 pm Central to sign; Okamoto’s contract must be finalized by the same time on Sunday.
Reporting out of Japan over the weekend revealed that Okamoto was traveling to the U.S. for a final round of in-person meetings. Imai is evidently doing the same. Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic wrote last night that Imai had spoken with multiple teams and would continue to do so throughout the week. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com relays that Imai and Okamoto — both of whom are represented by the Boras Corporation — are conducting in-person interviews in Los Angeles (link via MLB.com’s Brian Murphy). Scott Boras is based out of Southern California, so the location of the meetings shouldn’t be viewed as an indication that the Dodgers or Angels are favorites.
Imai has been publicly tied to the Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Phillies and Orioles since his posting period began. While a recent Yahoo! Japan article listed the White Sox as another possibility, MLB.com’s report downplays the likelihood of the White Sox landing the right-hander. Chicago shockingly added Munetaka Murakami last week, but that only came after the slugger’s market cratered because of concerns about his strikeout rate. Murakami wound up settling for a two-year, $34MM contract. Imai is expected to do far better given the cost of high-upside starting pitching.
The 5’11” righty has been one of Japan’s best pitchers over the past two seasons. He’s coming off a 1.92 ERA showing with 178 strikeouts across 163 2/3 innings. Imai has an NPB-best 27% strikeout rate since the start of 2024. He sits in the mid-90s with a promising slider. Command was an issue earlier in his career, but his strike-throwing has progressed as he has gained experience. This past season’s 7% walk rate was a personal low and better than the MLB average.
Imai is headed into his age-28 season. His contract needs to be finalized by Friday, so it’s likely he’ll agree to terms by tomorrow or Thursday. That’d leave time for a standard physical. The team that signs him will owe a posting fee to the Seibu Lions. That’s proportional to the contract value: 20% of the first $25MM, 17.5% of the next $25MM, and 15% of all further spending.
Imai opinion, he’s gonna sign with the Cubs.
I’m AI and I agree
My Imai what a wonderful day.
Boooo
I also agree.
Tatsuya Imai to the Cubs with some opt-outs.
Imai or mai not sign with the Cubbies.
Sometime tomorrow between 2 pm and 5 pm West Coast time.
If I had to put money on it, I’d probably put it down on the Cubs. It makes a lot of sense for them, and some for Imai as he wouldn’t be the only Japanese player.
Aloha Ryan!
成功を望んでいます, Seikou o nozondeimasu: I hope!
Shinnen Omedetou Gozaimasu, Happy New Year! Mahalo!
Phillies should give him whatever he wants; certainly no reason to expect Wheeler to ever be as good again and they will sell so much merchandise and get lots of Japanese ad revenue.
Imai take a guess and say he signs with the Dodgers. 100% deferred because they can.
I think they have to pay him at least the MLB minimum each season.
He’s already said he’s more interested in beating the Dodgers and facing Ohtani than joining them. I don’t think he’s the kind of guy to join a superteam.
Sounds like he should join the Angels, they have no problem beating the Dodgers.
@chalk
he also says he wanted to beat the Dodgers and win a WS. I don’t think anyone is that optimistic about the Angels in the next 5 years.
he’s stated:
I want to take them down.”
“With the number of pitchers they already have, they don’t need me.” (After the Edwin Diaz signing)
“I think beating a team like that and becoming world champions would be the most valuable thing in my life.”
He expressed interest in overcoming cultural challenges alone, preferring not to join a team with other Japanese players, and wanted to test himself against Shohei Ohtani.
Knicks – Sounds admirable, but he could also just want to be a big fish in a little pond.
I didn’t say he didn’t. I just stated that he said he doesn’t want to go to the Dodgers which is what @playhard suggested.
I had a vision. Hal told Boras he doesn’t want to be used to fund up the price and to go out and get the best offer possible and circle back to him before he signs. Yanks get all three of Bellinger, Okamato and Imai. Hal reminds the world that he’s George’s son and screams “It ain’t tricking if you got it” to small market teams.
Hope it comes to fruition, fun stuff
You should write novels with that imagination.
I know the White Sox are a long shot, but it’d make sense to sign another Japanese player, someone who shares a language and culture with Mune so they can help each other adapt. It would also further improve the Sox’ marketing efforts in Japan. Like I said, a long shot, but I think it’d be a smart play. Too bad Jerry’s not known for making those.
It would be a smart move but Imai’s comments so far suggest he wants to go to an immediate contender. My guess is the Cubs with the Phillies and Yankees in the race.
He wants to beat the Dodgers.. a healthy Atlanta team does that.. add him
A healthy Dodgers team beats Atlanta any time.
Imai to the A’s. Fight me 🙂
Both Top 20 free agents on the MLBTR rankings, nice to know we’ll have some news to talk about soon.
I know for a fact that Getz is meeting him in LA, and they have been in talks. He told the whitesox he would love to play in Chicago for the whitesox. Whitesox said they can offer only 3 years, and he replied that is not a problem. Here is the kicker, he also told the whitesox that he prefers to play for them over all other teams. This will be interesting
Grew up a huge Magglio Ordoñez fan, did he?
@sorengo
I don’t think even Magglio Ordonez Jr grew up a Magglio Ordonez fan. Besides, Imai already said he prefers to join a team that DOESN’T already have a Japanese player because he wants the challenge of learning the culture on his own. That might destroy my own wet dream of the Yanks signing both him and Okamato.
I read that they’ve emerged as the frontrunners to sign him.
It’s gotta be the Mets, right?
5’11 (5’9 or 5’10, maybe even 5’8) is not likely to do well as a pitcher in MLB.
Release – Somewhere Pedro (5’11”) and Flash Gordon (5’9″) and Lincecum (5’11”) and Wagner (5’10”) are smiling.
Stearns sign Imai and Okamoto, the Mets can use both, let’s GO
I love the idea but I think they’ve said, unofficially and through mouthpieces, that they’re out on Okamoto.
Could be bs, could be legit, could be for Imai… who had previously ALSO said he thought playing on a team with no other Japanese players would be more of a way to challenge himself.
What do about Senga then?
There’s 3 MLB teams in Southern California, not 2 . Glad I could help your writers out
Why would they count the Angels?
If Imai wants to beat the Dodgers, then he’s got to want to be a Padre or a Giant, right? Both have the ability to sign him.
As for Okamoto, the Mariners would be the dark horse here if they think he can play 3B/DH, if it weren’t for Boras .(who only has one player, Randy Arozarena, currently signed with the M’s).
Get the picture here Japan – none of these USA MLB teams give a flying F about you.
What does that even mean? What does Jane to do with the country of Japan?
The real question is:
How much does he pay the Tigers to be on a roster with Tarik Skubal?