Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai has revealed that he does not have an offer on the table from an MLB team with just four days left until his posting expires.
Imai was projected to earn a multi-year contract that would have him earn a notable salary after multiple seasons of sound production in Japan.
He has been a reliable ace overseas, and he projects as a quality middle-of-the-rotation arm in the majors, with some upside to reach a higher level if he adjusts and develops well.
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Most baseball insiders believed that there was a ton of interest in the pitcher, though it has not materialized into a formal offer, according to the player himself.
“Apparently, there actually aren’t many concrete options on the table yet,” Imai said, speaking in Japanese, on the Japanese television station TV Asahi.
“And it seems that having teams show interest and receiving a formal offer are completely different things.”
Free agency for international players gets tricky, especially since there is a good deal of risk involved in major deals with talent that has not played stateside.
Imai seems well aware of the challenges that Japanese players face.
“With Masataka Yoshida, it seems the Red Sox didn’t even come to Japan to see him, and the deal was wrapped up in a single day,” Imai added.
“And with [Munetaka] Murakami, not a single person predicted how it would turn out. The media doesn’t really know. What I actually see for myself — what I think and feel — that becomes the truth for me. That’s the only thing I rely on.”
Imai is a Scott Boras client, getting the help of a true superagent, which should help him get the best possible offer and the most money.
Most reports link him to the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs, though his market should be pretty broad, with varying dollar figures offered.
What has Imai said about the Dodgers?
One team Imai will not be signing with, indeed, is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have drawn the pitcher’s ire despite Los Angeles having a significant Japanese talent base.
“Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki, 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,” Imai said earlier this offseason.
“If there were another Japanese player on the same team, I could just ask them about anything, right? But that’s actually not what I’m looking for.
“In a way, I want to experience that sense of survival. When I come face-to-face with cultural differences, I want to see how I can overcome them on my own — that’s part of what I’m excited about.”
The Dodgers were never going to seriously pursue Imai, regardless of his statements, because their starting rotation was already the best in baseball, and other areas of the field needed work.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
