The Los Angeles Dodgers have had control over the international free agent market over the last couple of years, bringing in the two biggest talents from overseas over the last couple of years.
This year will be different, though, as the most highly-regarded international free agent this year, Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, has spoke out about wanting to take the Dodgers down.
“Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki,” Imai said to former MLB starter Daisuke Matsuzaka on “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.”
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He elaborated further on his preferences for a team, stating he wouldn’t want to join a team with a Japanese player on it.
“If there were another Japanese player on the same team, I could just ask them about anything, right?” Imai said. “But that’s actually not what I’m looking for. In a way, I want to experience that sense of survival. When I come face-to-face with cultural differences, I want to see how I can overcome them on my own — that’s part of what I’m excited about.”
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One team who fits the bill for Imai’s qualifications is the San Francisco Giants, who have been repeatedly linked to the right-hander. That being said, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports they haven’t checked with higher-end arms this offseason, which could indicate they aren’t looking to bring in a pitcher like Imai.
The Giants have been repeatedly linked to Tatsuyi Imai, the premier free agent pitcher from Japan. But a lot of their market pitching inquiries have been for more modestly priced arms — a strong indication they aren’t chasing the highest priced pitchers, like Imai.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 29, 2025
Imai has spent all nine of his professional seasons with the Saitama Seibu Lions, and has taken over the league over the past couple of years. In 2025, he posted a 1.92 ERA through 24 stars, and struck out 178 batters through 163.2 innings pitched.
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Photo Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
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