If the Phillies are serious about retooling the roster for 2026, there is one move that makes a ton of sense. It’s time Dave Dombrowski dive headfirst into the NPB market and land some impact talent from Japan.
I’m not talking one guy either. Bring me two or three if needed. Take your pick and throw bags at them and let’s finally tap that sweet, sweet, NBP market.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel dropped his full breakdown of the top NPB players heading to MLB this offseason, and the Phillies were basically nowhere to be found on his list.
Except for one name: Kazuma Okamoto.
Kazuma Okamoto is the safer, cheaper, immediate-impact bat compared to Murakami, who we’ll get into below.
He’s 29, has more than 245 career homers, and brings a much steadier profile than Murakami. He is the right-handed, lower-strikeout power hitter the Phillies have not had since Rhys Hoskins, except Okamoto has better contact rates and significantly less volatility.
Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto is projected to get a 3 year, $36 million MLB contract by ESPN’s @kileymcd.
Okamoto posted a 210 wRC+ with elite bat-to-ball skills on display on top of his .598 slug.
In 2025 he played 52 games at 3B, 27 games at 1B and 15 games in LF in 2024. pic.twitter.com/xr1H4wjkJf
— The Wrigley Wire (@TheWrigleyWire) November 7, 2025
McDaniel projected him at around three years and $40 to $45 million including the posting fee. That is nothing for a player who could immediately lock down first base or designated hitter.
The Phillies were specifically listed as one of the teams “in on” the first base and DH market. If Okamoto is the fallback option to Alonso, Schwarber, and Murakami, then sign me up.
Still, that’s not good enough.
Not for a team that struck out looking in the NLDS two seasons in a row or for a front office that needs to replace an entire outfield while making significant upgrades to the infield. It’s definitely not for a club that already tried (and failed) to outbid the league for Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
It is time to go big and I honestly believe that if you do sign a guy like Kazuma Okamoto, then more NBP dominoes will begin to fall.
Munetaka Murakami should be the top priority
Murakami has generational left-handed power, and already broke the NPB single-season home run record with 56 bombs at age 22.
His exit velocities would rank among the best in MLB. His ceiling is stupidly high. His floor is basically Joey Gallo with more bat speed and way better age projection.
Yes, the strikeouts are a concern. He also reportedly struggles to hit high-velo pitching so there might be an adjustment period. He also might end up at first base which I don’t hate at all.
The Phillies should send Bryce Harper back to right field and bring this beefy boy into play first base. If Schwarber or another DH option isn’t coming, then he can easily assume that role and Harp can stay put.
None of that matters at this point. Players with this kind of raw power, at this age, without draft pick penalties, do not hit the open market. Ever.
McDaniel says anything from six years at $20 million per year to something north of $100 million total is on the table. For a player who could hit 45 home runs in Citizens Bank Park, it’s a risk worth taking. Don’t overthink it.
The Yankees are rumored to be all over him. The Cubs make sense. The Astros make sense. Basically every smart team is sniffing around him.
So why not the Phillies?
Phillies reportedly among top suitors for Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami
Tatsuya Imai: the sleeper who might be the best fit
Here is the name Phillies fans need to circle: Tatsuya Imai.
He is 27 years old with ace stuff. He posted a 1.92 ERA in NPB last season with elite strikeout, walk, and whiff numbers. He throws 95 to 98 with a low three-quarter slot that creates insane deception. His slider is a legit wipeout pitch. His splitter gives him a full three-pitch kill combo.
Fangraphs projects him around five years and $100 million. For a frontline starter hitting the market at 27, that is highway robbery.
It is also exactly the kind of move the Phillies love. They offered more money for Yamamoto than the Dodgers and lost only because he preferred the West Coast and Shohei Ohtani.
The money is not the issue. The motivation is not the issue. The Phillies want a Japanese star. They just have not landed one yet.
Imai would check every box. He also said publicly that he wants to “take down the Dodgers.” That alone should have Dave Dombrowski on the phone.
And yes, the Phillies should still go all in
The Phillies can use their financial advantage to erase their geographical disadvantage. They tried with Yamamoto. They can try again with Imai. They can try again with Murakami and Okamoto.
They need offense. They need starting pitching depth. They need controllable prime-age players. NPB is offering exactly that.
And unlike previous years, the Phillies cannot rely on patchwork fixes. Ranger Suárez is probably gone. Kyle Schwarber might be leaving as well. Aaron Nola is getting older. The lineup is top-heavy but the window is still open, but it is not as wide as fans want to believe.
The Phillies have the money, the need, and the urgency. They should be in on all of them. Murakami. Okamoto. Imai.
Stop talking about retooling and actually do it.
If this team wants to take a real shot in 2026, it starts by dominating the NPB market and finally landing the stars they have spent years missing out on.
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