Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai is set to make the leap from Nippon Professional Baseball to Major League Baseball, but who will sign the star right-hander?
Imai, 27, was posted by the Seibu Lions earlier this month, giving him until Christmas Day to negotiate and sign with an MLB franchise in free agency.
While many around baseball assumed that Imai would follow in the footsteps of Japanese talents Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in joining Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers, the free agent made it clear this week that he doesn’t want to join his fellow countrymen–he’d rather beat them.
“Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki,” Tatsuya Imai said during an interview with the Japanese news program Hodo Station. “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.”
Tatsuya Imai has his eyes set on beating the Dodgers 👀 pic.twitter.com/t71jOG9J7S
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 24, 2025
If Imai wants to take down the Dodgers, joining the San Francisco Giants may become an intriguing possibility during the free-agent process, one outcome that executives around the league also envision taking shape in the coming weeks.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers released a poll this week that included the opinions and free-agent predictions of 16 Major League Baseball front-office executives, and the consensus was that Tatsuya Imai will be signing with the Giants this winter.
Of the 16 executives, five predicted Imai to ink a deal with San Francisco. The New York Yankees were the second-most-likely landing spot for Imai, with three votes.
“The Giants have been in the hunt [for a Japanese pitcher] in the past; pairing Tatsuya Imai with Logan Webb makes a ton of sense,” one executive said.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers – November 26, 2025
More on free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai
At 27 years old, Tatsuya Imai is arguably the youngest starting pitcher with immense upside in this free agent class.
While unproven at the MLB level, Imai excelled in Japan, posting a career ERA of 3.07 and a 66-49 record over nine professional seasons.
Tatsuya Imai struck out 1,045 batters over 1,077 career innings and limited damage with the longball, allowing just 87 home runs over 187 games.
As far as pitch-mix goes, Imai has a four-seam fastball, slider, splitter, sinker, changeup, and curveball in his arsenal, with many in baseball excited about the potential of his splitter at the MLB level.
If the Giants want to slot Imai into the rotation for 2026 and beyond, they will have to break out the big bucks. It’s estimated that Imai will sign a new deal of six years or longer, with a dollar figure starting at $150 million or more.
More San Francisco Giants content from Sactown Sports
The 2025 MLB free agency signing period has already begun, but things are expected to heat up in the coming weeks as the Winter Meetings (December 7-11) approach.
On the heels of another lackluster season, the San Francisco Giants are once again entering an offseason with hopes of placing a postseason-worthy roster on the field for 2026.
After making the blockbuster move to acquire star designated hitter and infielder Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox during the regular season, Giants president Buster Posey will be active in discussions with free agents as he looks to snap San Francisco’s four-year playoff drought.
While it remains to be seen how aggressive the Giants will be from a financial standpoint in MLB free agency, one veteran writer predicts San Francisco will target two of the top arms available on the market.
MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince laid out some bold MLB free agency predictions for this winter, and he thinks the Giants will land not just one, but two of the biggest names on the pitching side of things: Free agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez and All-Star closer Edwin Diaz.
MLB writer predicts two free agent stars will sign with Giants
Upcoming San Francisco Giants & MLB Offseason Schedule
MLB Free Agency begins the day after the World Series concludes
December 7-11th – MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida
Mid-November – MLB Non-Tender Deadline
Early-January – MLB Arbitration Negotiations
Mid-February – Pitchers & Catchers report for Spring Training
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