The New York Yankees haven’t made their big move yet this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they’re done shopping.
One name that’s caught their attention? Tatsuya Imai, the 27-year-old right-hander from Japan who’s drawing interest from multiple clubs.
MLB.com’s Andrew Simon thinks the Yankees would be a “perfect fit” for Imai, and it’s not hard to see why.
“The Yankees haven’t had a pitcher from Japan take the mound for them since Masahiro Tanaka’s tenure ended after the 2020 season, but this would be a good time for that drought to end,” Simon writes. “While there may not be a desperate need for rotation help in the Bronx, it’s also true that the team is banking on three pitchers coming off elbow surgery (Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt), with the latter two rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.”
That’s the reality facing the Yankees right now. Gerrit Cole won’t be ready for Opening Day after his Tommy John surgery, and Clarke Schmidt is working his way back from the same procedure. Carlos Rodón had his own elbow issues to deal with.
When you’re counting on that many guys coming back from surgery, depth becomes pretty important.
The Yankees also have some question marks with their younger arms. Cam Schlittler and Will Warren were rookies last season, and Luis Gil struggled in his 11 starts despite posting a solid ERA.
That’s where Imai comes in. He’s got a consistent track record in NPB and wouldn’t be a project – he’d be ready to contribute right away.
Max Fried lived up to expectations after his free agent signing, and if Imai could provide that same kind of reliability, it’d give the Yankees some real insurance.
The catch? They’d probably have to outbid several other teams to land him. But given their rotation situation, it might be worth the investment to bring another proven arm into the fold.
It’s been four years since Tanaka left the Bronx, and adding Imai would give them another quality Japanese pitcher while addressing a real need.
