It was a memorable postseason for former Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win a championship. And Yamamoto was named World Series MVP. All three made the transition from pro ball in Japan, finding success in the majors. Now Tatsuya Imai will attempt to follow in their footsteps as the NPB standout is posting and will enter MLB free agency this offseason.
The 27-year-old starter pitched eight seasons for the Saitama Seibu Lions. But Imai made a name for himself with a dazzling 2025 campaign. Imai went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA, 0.892 WHIP and 178 strikeouts in 163.2 innings last season. Now he’s ready to join the majors. And Imai could command a massive contract.
Teams in need of starting pitching generally regard the current free agent market as having four standout starters. Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Michael King and Ranger Suarez are considered the top pitchers available on the open market. And now Imai can be added to that group as “he’s going to be coveted every bit as much,” according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
Tatsuya Imai needs to be a Giant pic.twitter.com/XogT1BIIKE
— trev (@BayAreaTrev) November 21, 2025
Tatsuya Imai hopes to make transition from NPB standout to MLB star
In fact, Feinsand lists Imai at No. 11 in his ranking of the top 30 MLB free agents. Feinsand has the Japanese star just slightly behind Cease (No. 7), King (No. 9) and Suarez (No. 10). And he has Imai ahead of Valdez (No. 13).
Imai compiled a strong body of work in Japan. He boasts a six-pitch arsenal with a plus change up and splitter. But the fastball is his primary pitch. And despite standing 5’4” and weighing in at just 154 pounds, Imai can hit 99 mph with his heater.
Imai is sure to draw significant interest during the offseason as teams look to bolster their starting rotations. The Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants have already shown interest. But Imai could also be a good fit with the San Diego Padres and New York Mets.
Some estimates have Imai landing a $150+ million deal in free agency. And the price could go up if there’s a bidding war.
Imai is sure to sign a rich contract in the majors. But he’s unlikely to challenge the massive 12-year, $325 million deal Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers after entering free agency ahead of the 2024 season.
