Right-hander Tatsuya Imai found an MLB home earlier today, signing a three-year deal with the Astros. The same can’t be said for Imai’s former Seibu Lions teammate, Kona Takahashi, whose posting window closes on Sunday. With just one major league offer on the table, Takahashi could be headed back to Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Mark Feinsand and Brian Murphy of MLB.com.
Imai landed a contract on the final day of his posting window, so there’s certainly still time for Takahashi to find a desirable deal. Feinsand and Murphy didn’t provide additional details about the lone offer in front of Takahashi, but their report suggests it might not be enough to coax the righty stateside. The duo suggested that Takahashi could head back to the Lions on a new multi-year deal with opt-outs that would allow him to hit the open market following the 2026 season as an unrestricted free agent. Avoiding the posting system and the associated release fees could make Takahashi more appealing to MLB teams next offseason.
The 28-year-old Takahashi bounced back to a degree in 2025 after a down year in 2024. He posted an ERA just over 3.00 across 24 starts with the Lions. He continued to show impeccable control (6.7% walk rate), though his strikeout rate fell to a career-low 14.3%. Takahashi had made just 15 starts the prior season. He recorded a 3.87 ERA in 2024 and failed to reach 120 innings for the first time since 2018.
Takahashi had a stellar two-year run from 2022 to 2023. He put together consecutive seasons with a sub-2.25 ERA while pushing his strikeout rate up near 20%. Takahashi tossed a career-high 175 2/3 innings in 2022, then came back with a 155-inning campaign the following year. Outside of 2024, he’s typically been a durable member of the Lions’ rotation.
James Fegan and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs pegged Takahashi as a backend starter, with praise for his pitching prowess but questions about his underwhelming fastball. Fegan and Longenhagen tiered Takahashi with Foster Griffin and Anthony Kay as potential options to fill out an MLB rotation. Griffin landed with the Nationals on a one-year deal, while Kay secured a two-year commitment from the White Sox.
Photo courtesy of Peter Aiken, Imagn Images
I don’t blame teams for not showing much interest it’s going to be very hard to succeed in MLB with a 14% strikeout rate (unless you are Tyler Rogers).
Yeah, if he’s elite at inducing weak contact and ground balls he could find success on a team with a good infield defense. That’s a very narrow path though. Perhaps if he’s willing to work as a reliever his stuff could play up in shorter bursts.
So Kona won’t get a cup of coffee?
heyyyy
Seems like Kona isn’t making a “big wave” in free agency
As a Native Kailuan, I chortled 100% Kona out-the-nose.
@GWYNNING. Happy new beer marsh.
May 2026 be your best year ever, Huds!
Gwynning! Happy New Year, my friend!
Happy New Year and make it a good one, Reds!
Kona is expensive coffee. The whip is very high, unlike the caffeine excitement to sign him. Braves should take a cup, 2 years one refill
He’s smart to hit UFA status and head back to Japan next season. No posting fee is music to MLB teams ears
If he has one major league offer on the table, why would it be assumed he is heading back? You can only sign one deal. A major league offer is still a major league offer and he can prove that he belongs in the big leagues that way. If it doesn’t work out, he can always go back to Japan next year. If it does, he can sign a more lucrative deal next season.
If it is for a market he doesn’t it want to be in or for not nearly enough in his eyes. Why would he sigh?
Because he wants to be an MLB player. If he doesn’t want to, then he doesn’t belong in the league anyway. If he will only play in certain markets, he doesn’t belong either.
I mean that’s kind of the deal when you’re not a particularly desirable free agent. The top tier guys can name their price and pick their market, guys like him aren’t going to have that luxury
Are the angels allegedly in on this guy too? Come on Moronassian. Tell us
He needs to change his stripes next time he posts . Be more adaptable. Teams looking for flexibility with roster restrictions. Can he hit? Can he field? Capacity to reinvent? Kona Kona Kona Kona Kona Chameleon
When was the last time this happened?
1983 was when Karma Chameleon was a hit, so then I guess.
Oh, that’s not good. Wonder who’ll be his second during the ritual after his return to Japan?
Giants. So that the whiney fans complaining about ‘needing a Japanese player to be able to succeed’ can finally stfu lol
I know wins and losses don’t really speak to the quality of the pitcher, but it’s interesting to see a guy who’s 9-22 over his past two NPB seasons trying to make the jump to MLB. Then you consider he gives up more than a hit per inning and doesn’t strike out many and doesn’t eat many innings. Not surprised by the lack of interest.
Not that ERA is the best metric either, but of the 34 qualified NPB starters this past season his ERA was 25th. His 3.03 was a hair better than the league average of 3.25. It’s just not a particularly impressive resume
If the Giants can sign him, they can bring up maui ahuna and have kona and maui on the roster
Makes sense. His K-rate is so low and will only translate lower in the MLB. his Fastball is grade 30, which is below MLB level. If he’s serious about joining the MLB, it might be wise of him to return to NPB and work on those two main things.
Ditch the fastball, throw more cutters and breaking pitches. He should be a finesse pitcher.