Tatsuya Imai, the right-handed Japanese pitcher who is headlining the international free-agent class, is keeping an open mind about his future, according to a league source briefed on his posting process.
Imai drew attention for his recent comments during a friendly TV interview with former Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. With a laugh and a smile, Imai said that he would rather beat the Los Angeles Dodgers than join them.
That response seemingly created an opening for their historic rivals. The San Francisco Giants, however, are not inclined to spend what it will likely take to sign Imai or any other starter in a position to command a nine-figure contract this winter.
Beyond that outlook, based on reporting from The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly, part of Imai’s interpreted message was likely blown out of proportion.
Like any good competitor, Imai would enjoy facing Shohei Ohtani and attempting to win the World Series. While Imai acknowledged that having a Japanese teammate would be a valuable resource, he also expressed a desire to figure out the major-league experience on his own.
That potential preference, though, should not be a dealbreaker. It does not rule out an interested team like the Chicago Cubs, who made a concerted effort to become a destination for Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga when they left Nippon Professional Baseball.
As a young pitcher with the Saitama Seibu Lions, Imai studied and learned from teammate Yusei Kikuchi, who embarked on a long major-league career that is still ongoing with the Los Angeles Angels.
Imai’s curiosity and confidence suggest that he would not be afraid to perform in a large East Coast market. While Matsuzaka mentioned the Red Sox as a possibility, Imai also would not be intimidated by the idea of pitching for a New York team or the Philadelphia Phillies.
At 27, Imai offers prime-age upside, upper-90s velocity and no attachment to a qualifying offer and draft-pick compensation.
With the proliferation of data and video, front offices can make projections from his pitch mix (the slider is more prominent than the splitter) and successful track record (1.92 ERA, 0.892 WHIP and 178 strikeouts in 163 2/3 innings this year). Though smaller in stature, he’s carried a consistent workload.
As a free agent, Imai is expected to travel to certain cities and visit with a select group of teams willing to make the requisite long-term commitment. That tour will likely begin after next week’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.
Jan. 2 marks his 45-day posting window closing date.
Teo on the move?
An interesting possibility has surfaced for the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers: A trade of right fielder Teoscar Hernández.
Hernández’s name is coming up in trade conversations, according to league sources. The Dodgers view a deal as unlikely, but the idea of it, at least, is not without logic.
While Hernández has hit eight home runs with a combined .780 OPS the past two postseasons, he is also a big reason the Dodgers’ outfield defense ranked only 18th in Outs Above Average during the regular season.
If the Dodgers trade Hernández, they could move Andy Pages to right, where he could be elite, and try to acquire a center fielder. Tommy Edman underwent surgery on his right ankle last month, so asking him to play center could be too much. Moving Edman off second base might also thrust two largely unproven players, Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland, into more prominent roles.
Hernández ranked 33rd of 36 players last season in Outs Above Average (minus-9) among right fielders. The trade and free-agent markets, however, are short on right-handed hitting outfielders, and Hernández’s contract, while complex, is not prohibitively expensive.
Hernández’s defense has become a major point of contention for the reigning champion Dodgers. (Harry How / Getty Images)
The 33-year-old is owed $12 million in 2026 and $14.5 million in ’27, with $8 million deferred each season. He is also guaranteed a $6.5 million buyout on a $15 million club option for 2028. If he undergoes surgery or spends 75 days on the injured list for an issue specified in the contract, the 2028 option becomes guaranteed, and a $15 million club option for 2029 is added.
On Wednesday, the Dodgers reached an agreement with infielder Miguel Rojas on a one-year, $5.5 million contract. But their position-player group was the oldest in the majors last season, and their defense became a major point of contention. They might be inclined to shuffle the roster, knowing from experience that fresh faces help keep the team hungry. Then again, the Dodgers are already in the market for an outfielder, so subtracting Hernández might be counterproductive.
A trade of Hernández would not necessarily signal a pursuit of free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, who might prove too expensive for Los Angeles’ liking. The idea would be to allow the team to improve upon one of its bigger weaknesses — a reasonable thought, as long as the defensive upgrade isn’t too much of a drag on the offense.
Why Marlins wanted Cedric Mullins
While the Miami Marlins could stand to upgrade at the corner-infield spots, their pursuit of free-agent center fielder Cedric Mullins offered perhaps a better glimpse into how they plan to improve their offense.
The Marlins, according to a team source, were in the mix for Mullins before he agreed Wednesday to a one-year, $7 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. The addition of Mullins to an outfield that already includes Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee would have enabled Miami to remain flexible with its other young position players, some of whom play infield and outfield.
While the Marlins ranked 27th in OPS at first base last season and 19th at third, they aren’t certain to pursue a free agent, such as Rhys Hoskins at first, or trade for a player, such as Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm at third. With Miami reluctant to block its young players, an outfielder might be a better fit.
The Marlins still want Agustín Ramírez to catch, but are likely to carry three players at the position once top catching prospect Joe Mack reaches the majors. Another of their catchers, Liam Hicks, started 23 games at first in 2025.
Connor Norby might play first and third. Outfielder Griffin Conine is expected to get reps at first in spring training. Outfielder Heriberto Hernández and prospect Deyvison De Los Santos would also be possibilities. De Los Santos, acquired last July from the Arizona Diamondbacks for lefty A.J. Puk, is playing first in the Dominican Winter League.
Rangers shopping modestly
As things stand, the Texas Rangers’ acquisition of left fielder Brandon Nimmo for second baseman Marcus Semien might be the biggest move they make this offseason.
The Rangers need to reconstruct their bullpen and find a catcher to replace Jonah Heim, whom they non-tendered. But according to team sources, Texas lacks the payroll flexibility to sign top free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto, a native of Oklahoma.
Danny Jansen and Victor Caratini are more likely free-agent pursuits, and a trade would be another possibility. The Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals are among the teams deep in young catching.
The Toronto Tuckers?
With the news that Tucker visited the Toronto Blue Jays’ facility Wednesday, club officials are perhaps dreaming about rolling out this kind of lineup:
DH George Springer R
RF Kyle Tucker L
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. R
3B Addison Barger L
C Alejandro Kirk R
LF Anthony Santander S
CF Daulton Varsho L
2B Ernie Clement R
SS Andrés Gimenez L
Of course, the addition of Tucker could also push the Jays’ payroll past $300 million, but who’s counting? The previous club record for Opening Day was $242 million.
The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya contributed to this report