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With the help of Yu Darvish, the San Diego Padres are reportedly courting Japanese right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai.

The San Diego Padres need pitching.

A.J. Preller is not one to shy away from the unorthodox.

Not that signing a pitcher from Japan is abnormal these days, but Preller and his staff do the homework. They make themselves conscious of every possible addition they can make to the roster.

Tatsuya Imai will likely be posted by his team, and the 27-year-old is considered one of the better pitchers to come out of Japan. He owns a career 66-49 record with 1,045 strikeouts in 1,077 innings. He put up a 3.07 ERA and a 1.226 WHIP in his nine-year career. Last season, he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA and recorded a 0.892 WHIP for the Saitama Seibu Lions.

Seibu Lions say they are going to post star pitcher Tatsuya Imai. The righty who throws up to 99 mph should be one of the top 3 free agent pitchers, along with Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 10, 2025

They describe Imai as a very relaxed pitcher, and some scouts theorize that he will need to pick up his intensity to flourish in the majors. That should not be an issue. His stuff is real and will play at the major league level. Being calm is not necessarily a bad thing for a pitcher.

He tops out at 97-99 mph with his fastball and counters with multiple off-speed pitches, though his slider is his bread and butter. His mechanics are very solid, and the 27-year-old is still young enough to enjoy a decent career in the majors. There are expectations that his contract could ultimately land in the $200 million range, but that is up for debate.

At 5-foot-11 and around 160 lbs., Imai is not a large pitcher. There are concerns about his command, though he has improved over the course of the last few years with his strike-throwing ability. Most see the pitcher as a mid-rotation starter. He should eat innings and may develop with major league coaching. There is upside here.

Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan of FanGraphs recently wrote, “has steadily improved as a strike-thrower and innings-eater each of the last three years” and “has the stuff of a good mid-rotation starter.” There is an expectation that Imai will be a reliable major league pitcher.

Yu Darvish and Tatsuya Imai have a history, as the young pitcher really respects Darvish and all he has accomplished in baseball. Darvish is said to be recruiting the pitcher to some extent, even though the Padres pitcher will miss the entire 2026 season with an arm injury.

Darvish sent this DM to Imai recently. “It’s been a while! It’s finally time for you to come to America. I’m sure you’ll be busy from now on, but take good care of yourself.” Preller spoke about Darvish this week and indicated that the Padres picked his brain about Imai and his ability. “Not only is Darvish a great pitcher, he’s also a great scout. We always ask for his opinion, and we’ll continue to use his insight this offseason,” Preller said about Darvish this week at the G.M.’s meeting in Las Vegas.

The Padres would love to add a pitcher of Imai’s ilk. Price will be an issue, though, as the Padres would probably not be the highest bidder for his services. They just do not have the financial flexibility they once had. They will need to be creative.

A.J. Preller visited Japan this past season and saw Imai pitch. ‘We’ll be fully prepared when he’s posted,” A.J. Preller tells the NY Times. “He has a great arm, great athleticism, and can maintain his velocity. His control is also improving. His continued growth demonstrates his diligence and adaptability.”

It is early, and Imai needs to be posted. Once he does, all major league teams have 45 days to negotiate. Stay tuned.

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.

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