With the New York Yankees likely needing to add multiple arms this offseason, there are a few different ways to view their options. I’ve said many times that I would love to see the team go after Tatsuya Imai, a right-hander out of Japan who has been a professional since his teenage years.

While playing professionally in Japan isn’t the same as pitching in Major League Baseball, it’s important to remember that Imai has spent much of his career competing against grown men, and that experience matters.

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It remains uncertain whether the Yankees will actually land him, but there does appear to be legitimate interest.

According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the Yankees’ pursuit is real, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they have a genuine shot to sign him.

“My sense is that the Yankees’ interest in Imai is legitimate. They haven’t had a Japanese player since Masahiro Tanaka, but it hasn’t been for a lack of trying — remember, they were right there at the finish line for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Cashman made an interesting point recently about that pursuit:

“They’d just gotten back from meeting with Yamamoto in Los Angeles, where there were some perfect beach weather days, and then they hosted Yamamoto in cold, gray New York… And of course, the Dodgers outbid everyone, which is really what it was all about. So to answer this question, yes, I believe the Yankees are right there in the Imai market. There’s too many reasons for them not to be,” he wrote.

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As Hoch touched on, teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers have positioned themselves well to land top talent from Japan in recent years.

While Imai has previously suggested he isn’t necessarily focused on joining the Dodgers, money tends to speak in the end. From all he’s said, it seems very unlikely that he’ll end up in Los Angeles.

However, as we’ve seen with the Dodgers, they’ll do what it taks to win.

If Los Angeles puts a massive offer on the table, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him land there.

Still, the Yankees’ interest is genuine, and that alone is an encouraging sign.