As the 2026 MLB Free Agency period progresses, one storyline to be keeping an eye on is where Tatsuya Imai signs this free agency period.
Tatsuya Imai is coming over from playing in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. In the NPB, he was a three-time All-Star, and is one of the best Japanese pitchers to be posted since when Yoshinobu Yamamoto came over.
With the talent of Tatsuya Imai, and the Los Angeles Dodgers having Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and Shohei Ohtani, it led to many rumors linking him to the team. A recent comment from Imai says otherwise, as he stated, “Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki, 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.”
It is clear Tatsuya Imai wants to face the Dodgers rather than join them, and if he is going to accomplish this on the biggest stage like the World Series, it would have to be for an American League team. The team that makes sense to sign Imai and give him the best chance to accomplish this is the Toronto Blue Jays.
*THIS IS A PREDICTION, NOT A REPORT*
More MLB Content From TWSN:
No, The Los Angeles Dodgers Aren’t Ruining Baseball
Kyle Tucker Predicted to Join Baltimore Orioles
Texas Rangers Trade Corey Seager to the Boston Red Sox
Tatsuya Imai Signs With the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are just coming off facing the Dodgers in the World Series, but they fell short in Game 7 and ended up seeing the Dodgers become back-to-back champions. For the Blue Jays, to have been that close, it adds extra motivation to the team for them to not let this be the case again.
One way in which the Blue Jays can improve the team for 2026 is to add to their pitching. Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt are hitting free agency this year. Then, Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber are going to be entering the open market following the 2026 season. Toronto needed to add more bullpen depth this offseason to begin with, but with their star pitchers not being secure long-term, it further adds to this need.
The Blue Jays had been interested in Ohtani and Sasaki in the past, but failed at getting deals done. That is something they can’t miss on again this offseason when it comes to Tatsuya Imai.
Tatsuya Imai has the talent to fully elevate the Blue Jays’ pitching rotation for the future. Imai is coming off a great season with the Seibu Lions, where he had a shut-down 1.92 ERA, and 178 strikeouts over 163.2 innings. His fastball is dangerous with hitting inside the 95 mph range, adding further to his diverse pitching arsenal.
At 27 years old, Tatsuya Imai has the capabilities to become the next star pitcher in MLB, and signing with the Blue Jays gives him the chance to become the true ace for the team, while helping propel the Blue Jays forward for 2026.