The Saitama Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league posted right-handed starter Tatsuya Imai to free agency on Monday. He becomes the third player posted from Japan behind first baseman Kazuma Okamoto and third baseman Munetaka Murakami.
Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old RHP from Nippon Professional Baseball, will be posted this offseason, per the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Imai recorded a 1.92 ERA and struck out 178 batters in 163.2 IP during the 2025 season.
Once Imai’s posting window opens, teams will have 45 days to… pic.twitter.com/SWD1aTBqQc
— MLB (@MLB) November 10, 2025
Imai joins a relatively weak starting pitcher market for the 2026 MLB offseason, which includes Chris Bassit, Lucas Giolito, and Framber Valdez. There are some names teams will vie for, including Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez and Arizona Diamondbacks Zac Gallen. The 27-year-old Japanese pitcher, however, is considered to be the top free agent in the pitching department this year.
The Japanese product features a four-pitch arsenal, including a plus-graded slider and fastball combo. He splits evenly between groundballs to flyballs, but only 16% of his pitches were hard-hit in 2025. His soft contact also increased to 23%, while his walk rate collapsed to a notable 7%.
All of the big-market teams are expected to jump in the mix for Imai, but several teams are more desperate to land him than others. There are the usual suspects, and there always seems to be that one team that wants to play spoiler.
New York Yankees 
Mar 6, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA;New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pauses before taking the mound against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Dave Nelson-Imagn Images
Immediately upon Imai’s posting, analysts and experts pegged the New York Yankees to be a frontrunner in landing the right-hander for their rotation. Ryan Garcia of Empire Sports Media reported the team would be “aggressive” in pursuing the 27-year-old. The Athletic said New York was a “likely suitor” for Imai.
The move makes a lot of sense in every single way for the team. First, three pitchers are going to start the season on the injured list. Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt are recovering from Tommy John surgery (the latter will be back in 2026). Carlos Rodon underwent a bone spur removal from his elbow and will be shelved for some time. They need some durability in the rotation.
Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe and Gerrit Cole are all expected to start the 2026 season on the injured list. Cashman said “I think so” when asked if Volpe is the Yankees’ starting shortstop once he’s healthy. Both he and Boone emphasized that he’s tough and works hard at only 24.
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) October 16, 2025
They also need a long-term fifth man in the rotation. Cam Schlittler proved himself worthy of a spot for the long term, but Luis Gil and Will Warren are major question marks. Gil’s walk rate increased dramatically following his return from injury, while Warren struggled to stay consistent.
Beyond that, the Yankees need to keep in mind that Cole will be 35, Rodon will be 33, and Fried will be 32 in 2026. Age is definitely a concern for the team in the rotation and bullpen. If Imai were to sign with New York, the team could shift around their younger pitchers to the bullpen for longevity and versatility.
Yes, a hefty contract is still a concern, but the Yankees are fully aware their pitching is going to hit a plateau soon. They are prepared to get ahead of that sooner rather than later.
San Francisco Giants 
Sep 27, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) takes the field to face the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Oracle Park.
D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
The San Francisco Giants badly need another starting pitcher to slide into their rotation. Justin Verlander is well into his 40s and might go back to Houston, and no one knows if Robbie Ray will keep his 2025 all-star form or collapse. Their top pitching prospect, Carson Whisenhunt, struggled with command and location in 2025, and most of their prospects are years away.
There is a large gap in the rotation, with 11 different pitchers starting at least one game for the fifth slot. Logan Webb remains as good as ever, but he needs backup, and it won’t come in the form of Hayden Birdsong.
Imai could thrive in Oracle Park, given it’s the third-most pitcher-friendly ballpark in MLB. He likely won’t surrender too many home runs, which would further decrease his 0.7 home runs per nine innings rate. Walks are also difficult to come by at Oracle, ranking at the lowest for hitters. Imai’s walk rate is 4.4 in Japan, so it could stabilize or decrease.
Unlike New York, San Francisco could afford a large contract should the market push Imai’s price higher. They currently have $136 million allocated for payroll, leaving them with more than $80 million under tax space. Even taking on the mammoth Rafael Devers contract wouldn’t be enough to deter them from making Imai happen.
New York Mets 
Sep 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) breaks his bat after striking out against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
This isn’t even about Steve Cohen and the fact that he can buy anyone; the New York Mets’ pitching was not good in 2025.
Griffin Canning tore his Achilles and will likely miss half of 2026, while Kodai Senga cannot stay healthy. David Peterson and Clay Holmes held the rotation together just enough, but it collapsed in the second half. The rotation has promise in Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong, but it needs a veteran presence.
Imai isn’t the best choice for a veteran presence, but he would definitely mark an immediate improvement for the Mets. The metrics on the 27-year-old cannot be ignored by the team, which needs help everywhere. Plus, what happens if they pass up on Imai and all three aforementioned prospects bust?
Make no mistake that 2026 is a critical year for the Mets under Cohen, and he needs to do everything to win back the fanbase. Expect them to pursue Imai hard until the very end.
Detroit Tigers 
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kyle Finnegan (64) throws against Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning during ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Perhaps the darkest of horses in any free agent races this year, Detroit shouldn’t be counted out of the Imai sweepstakes.
The lingering Tarik Skubal question is looming large over the Tigers’ front office. Don’t let it be misconstrued that the Tigers can’t afford Skubal, they definitely can, but how much are they willing to fork over? Jim Costa of The Ticket even suggested Boras wants to take the ace into free agency in 2026.
Imai could offer them a plan B if talks between their homegrown and the team fell apart.
Outside of Skubal, there are some questions for the rotation. Can Reese Olson and Jackson Jobe return to form following their injuries? Will Casey Mize regress? What do you do about Jack Flaherty? The rotation is just not stable enough to answer any of these inquiries at the moment.
Looking at their farm system, their top nine prospects are all position players. If Skubal were to walk, they’d have no rookies outside of Jobe to replace him with. Imai should definitely be considered by the team not just as a Skubal plan-B, but as a long-term solution to prevent another end-of-season collapse.
End Of My Tatsuya Imai Rant
Imai is poised to be the most sought-after free agent pitcher this year, beating out Suarez of the Phillies. As mentioned before, almost all the big-market teams are expected to try and make an offer for the Japanese product. It’s likely going to come down between a big-time team, a middle-market team desperate for a restart, or a dark-horse team that comes out of nowhere. He probably won’t sign with a team until just before his window closes.