Yankees Path to Signing Japanese Star Getting Easier

The New York Yankees have a real shot at landing Tatsuya Imai this winter. This thought stems from teams having already made additions, financial constraints, and Imai's own preference.

One of those teams not in on Imai, as once assumed, is the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants Off the Board?

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Giants don't plan on landing any high-priced stars this offseason.

"The Giants have been repeatedly linked to Tatsuyi Imai, the premier free agent pitcher from Japan," Olney wrote on X. "But a lot of their market pitching inquiries have been for more modestly priced arms -- a strong indication they aren't chasing the highest priced pitchers, like Imai."

Unless this report is bunk, Imai is less likely to play alongside Arson Judge in San Francisco.

Imai's Preference

Another National League West team that could be out of it is the Los Angeles Dodgers. Imai recently said that he is looking forward to beating the Dodgers, instead of just becoming another Infinity Stone in that LA gauntlet.

Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (left) acknowledges the crowd during the World Series championship parade at downtown Los Angeles. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

"Of course, I'd enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki," Imai told Daisuke Matsuzaka, according to Michael Clair and Ayako Oikawa of MLB.com, "But winning against a team like that and becoming a world champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I'd rather take them down."

This is either smoke and mirrors or Imai really has no interest in playing for the Dodgers. If the Yankees ever plan on winning a championship again, a pitcher with that type of mindset can be perfect for them. They would eventually have to get through the Dodgers after all.

The Blue Jays Already Made a Big Splash

As far as tangible signs of the Yankees having a good shot at Imai, look no further than what the Toronto Blue Jays did this week. They signed Dylan Cease, a Scott Boras client, to a seven-year $210 million deal. He got paid in the way Boras' clients usually do.

Sep 24, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) delivers during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

It's hard to say if they will spend more on starting pitching and make the move for Imai. If the Jays really want to go for it, they might, but conventional wisdom points to them spending elsewhere from here on out.

Of course, teams like the Mets may still be in the running. There could be another Cohen-Steinbrenner bidding war brewing. Even still, the Yankees need to do whatever they can to sign him if there is genuine interest. They have not dipped into the NPB market since Masahiro Tanaka, and this could be a real shot at finally landing a star - especially with the Dodgers potentially out of the way.

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