Tatsuya Imai has made his intentions clear: he isn’t coming to MLB to stand beside the Los Angeles Dodgers’ growing constellation of Japanese stars. He wants to beat them. And according to MLB insider Jon Morosi, that mindset should immediately push several of L.A.’s biggest rivals to the front of the line for the 27-year-old right-hander.
Imai’s Bold Mission: “I’d Rather Take Them Down”
Posted earlier this month by the Saitama Seibu Lions, Imai arrives as one of the most intriguing pitchers to hit the market since Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But instead of embracing the idea of joining Shohei Ohtani, Yamamoto, or Roki Sasaki in Los Angeles, Imai openly rejected the idea during a televised conversation with Daisuke Matsuzaka.
“Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki,” he said, “but winning against a team like that and becoming a world champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I’d rather take them down.”
He even added that he doesn’t want to sign with a team that already has a Japanese player — a stipulation that effectively rules out the Dodgers entirely.
Support Local and Independent Sports Writing – Subscribe To the LAFB Network Today!
Why Dodgers Rivals Should Move Fast
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
To Morosi, Imai’s stance isn’t just a personal preference — it’s a challenge that certain franchises should lean into.
“What Imai has given us here… is the boldness to be different and the boldness to create a new rivalry,” Morosi said. “So you think about this. If I’m Tatsuya Imai… I would say he wants to sign with one of three teams.”
Morosi didn’t hesitate to name them:
“The Blue Jays, the team that nearly defeated the Dodgers in the World Series, or the Dodgers’ closest geographic divisional rivals, Giants [or] Padres.”
He continued:
“Jays, Padres, Giants. If you want to make a statement… Tatsuya Imai will be a Padre, a Giant, or a Blue Jay.”
A Unique Talent Entering His Prime
Imai’s appeal is obvious. He’s coming off a dominant NPB season — a 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 178 strikeouts over 163.2 innings — and features upper-90s velocity with a diverse arsenal. Unlike many posted players, he is not subject to bonus-pool restrictions, widening his market.
A New Rivalry in the Making
The Dodgers swept through 2025 with another championship, but cracks appeared, especially in October when Toronto pushed them to the brink. Imai saw it. The league saw it. And now, with a pitcher openly motivated to challenge baseball’s newest dynasty, Morosi’s message to Los Angeles’s rivals is unmistakable:
This is your chance — sign him, and make the fight real.
Subscribe to LAFB Network’s YouTube Channel