The New York Yankees are positioning themselves as serious players for Tatsuya Imai, the standout Japanese pitcher who’s expected to be one of the top international free agents available this offseason.
The Daily Mail picked up coverage of the Yankees’ pursuit, and naturally, the “next Shohei Ohtani” comparisons started flying. That’s probably getting ahead of ourselves, though. Imai’s a dominant pitcher, but you’d need his arm combined with fellow 2025 free agent Munetaka Murakami’s hitting abilities to get anywhere close to Ohtani territory.
Still, Imai’s a game-changer on his own.
The Saitama Seibu Lions right-hander has the kind of stuff that could move the needle for any contender. The Yankees aren’t alone in their interest – the Mets and Giants are reportedly in the mix too, which means there’s going to be serious competition for his services.
What makes this different is the financial structure. According to ESPN, “the team that signs Imai won’t have to give up draft compensation like they will for fellow free agent starting pitchers Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen, Michael King, Shota Imanaga, and Brandon Woodruff.”
That’s a huge advantage when you’re trying to build a rotation without gutting your farm system.
The Backup Plans
If the Yankees miss out on Imai, they’ve got other options on their radar. Justin Verlander, the 2011 AL MVP who spent years tormenting the Yankees as a Tiger, is strongly rumored as a potential target. Chris Bassitt from the Blue Jays is another name being floated around.
But settling for either of those veterans after missing out on Imai? That’s not going to sit well with fans, especially if the Dodgers or Mets end up landing the Japanese ace instead.
The way I see it, this is about more than just adding a pitcher. The Yankees are watching the Dodgers build something special in Los Angeles while they’re stuck in the second-longest World Series drought in franchise history. That’s not exactly the standard you expect from the winningest organization in baseball.
Time for Cashman to Deliver
Brian Cashman can only coast on past success for so long. The game’s evolving, and it feels like the Yankees’ front office hasn’t kept pace. Instead of looking back to 2014 when they landed Masahiro Tanaka – their last big international pitching splash – maybe it’s time to make a statement in the present.
Imai represents that opportunity. He’s got a completely different style than Tanaka, but the potential impact could be just as significant.
The Yankees have the resources and the need. Now they just have to close the deal before someone else does.
