The Yankees still haven’t made a move for starting pitching this winter, even as their AL East rivals keep adding arms. The Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Orioles have all bolstered their rotations while New York sits on the sidelines.
What makes this more puzzling is the latest update on Tatsuya Imai, the Japanese ace who seems like a natural fit for the Bronx.
Manager Aaron Boone told reporters the Yankees haven’t met with Imai and doesn’t know if they will, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
“Aaron Boone said the Yankees have not met with Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai. He said he didn’t know if they will.”
That’s a head-scratcher. Imai’s posting deadline is January 2nd, so there’s still time to get something done. But Boone’s uncertainty about whether they’ll even meet suggests the Yankees aren’t prioritizing the 27-year-old right-hander.
It’s confusing because Imai fits what they need. He’s coming off a 1.92 ERA season in Japan and would give the Yankees another proven starter. The organization has had success with Japanese pitchers before – Masahiro Tanaka worked out well during his time in pinstripes.
The way I see it, this feels like a missed opportunity developing in real time. The Yankees clearly need rotation help, and here’s a quality arm available through the posting system. Their division rivals are getting better while New York talks about maybe having conversations.
Could things change before the deadline? Sure. Teams can move quickly when they want to. But Boone’s comments don’t exactly scream urgency.
All things considered, it doesn’t look like Imai will be wearing pinstripes next season. The Yankees seem content to let this one pass by, leaving fans to wonder what their Plan A actually is for addressing the rotation.
