The San Francisco Giants are wasting no time establishing a new identity under president of baseball operations Buster Posey: bold, decisive, and unafraid to chase impact talent.
With only Logan Webb and Robbie Ray locked into the 2026 rotation, the front office is widely expected to make a significant addition this winter, and one name rising quickly to the top of the wishlist is Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai.
The 27-year-old was officially posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions earlier this week, opening a negotiating window for Major League clubs that runs through January 2, 2026. If no agreement is reached by that deadline, Imai will return to Nippon Professional Baseball for another season.
Landing him won’t come cheaply. Any signing team will owe both a major-league contract—projected by some to approach or exceed $190 million over eight years—and a substantial release fee to the Lions. Yet the combination of cost and upside hasn’t scared off the Giants, who have repeatedly shown willingness to invest heavily in the rotation.
MLB Network insider Jon Morosi recently called San Francisco the ideal destination for the right-hander, pointing to the club’s track record with high-profile Japanese talent and the pitcher-friendly dimensions of Oracle Park.
“They need a co-star alongside Logan Webb in that rotation, and I believe that Imai would be a great complement,” Morosi said.
Imai brings a deep four-pitch arsenal headlined by a fastball that touches the upper 90s, along with a sharp slider, a devastating split-finger fastball, and a reliable changeup. Over seven seasons with Seibu, he has compiled a 58-45 record with a 3.45 ERA and 907 strikeouts. The three-time NPB All-Star (most recently in 2025) also contributed to a combined no-hitter last year.
Represented by super-agent Scott Boras, Imai is almost certain to command top-of-the-market money, but the Giants have already demonstrated they’re comfortable operating at that level under Posey. In his first offseason at the helm, he handed shortstop Willy Adames the richest contract in franchise history.
This past June, he pulled off a blockbuster trade to bring third baseman Rafael Devers over from Boston. And just last month, he made waves by hiring highly successful University of Tennessee skipper Tony Vitello to manage the club beginning in 2026.
Pursuing and ultimately signing Imai would fit seamlessly into that pattern of aggressive, future-focused roster building. While the Giants came up short in previous high-stakes chases for Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto—both of whom landed with the rival Dodgers—the current front office appears determined not to let another premier arm slip away.
With the posting window open and the new year approaching, San Francisco’s interest in Tatsuya Imai could soon turn from speculation into the next chapter of the Buster Posey era.