Japanese Ace Expected To Make Free Agency Decision Soon: ...

By Shaun McAvoy

Contributing Sports Writer

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One of the most sought-after players available in free agency is expected to make his decision on where to sign soon.

Any team that is looking for a quality starting pitcher in free agency is likely going to target Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai. The 27-year-old is a three-time NPB All-Star who posted a 1.92 ERA across 24 appearances in the 2025 season for the Saitama Seibu Lions.

With the winter meetings quickly approaching, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Imai is moving and that the 27-year-old hurler is expected to sign with a team soon.

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"Japanese stars: The posting window for corner infielder Munetaka Murakami ends Dec. 22, and even if he doesn’t sign at the Winter Meetings, it will be soon thereafter," Passan posted to Threads on Sunday. "The market for right-hander Tatsuya Imai is moving, and some executives expect him to come off the board in Orlando. The third big name this winter, Kazuma Okamoto, must sign by Jan. 4, two days after the expiration of Imai’s window."

This isn't the first time a Japanese pitcher caused so much buzz around the league in free agency. There have been multiple pitchers who have made the transition to the MLB in recent years and excelled, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Kodai Senga, Shota Imanaga and Rōki Sasaki.

The San Francisco Giants were considered early favorites to land Imai in free agency, but they will face plenty of competition to sign the star pitcher. The 27-year-old is projected to sign a massive six-year contract this offseason worth roughly $114 million, according to Just Baseball's Ryan Finkelstein.

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