At first glance, it seemed like the stars had aligned for Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery in their respective forays into free agency. Snell had one of his best seasons as a professional in 2023 with the San Diego Padres, even winning NL Cy Young award honors for his excellent play. Meanwhile, Montgomery was part of the Texas Rangers starting rotation that helped propel the team to its first-ever World Series title, buoying his value considerably.

Alas, it's January, and those two lefties remain unsigned. This is in large part due to the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes, which the Los Angeles Dodgers won. However, with a little over a month before Spring Training, one would expect that Snell and Montgomery would find new homes (or, perhaps, re-sign with their former ballclubs) soon.

There is another complicating factor, however, and he is hailing from Japan as well. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Shōta Imanaga, the 30-year old Japanese international, is garnering plenty of interest from teams. In fact, Feinsand wrote that “the Japanese lefty might have the most competitive market of the trio.”

Related NewsArticle continues below
Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Tarik Skubal MLB Power Rankings
2025 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 10: Subway Series shifts the rankings
New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field.
Mets’ Edwin Díaz drops mic after striking out Aaron Judge to beat Yankees
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins (12) hits an RBI single during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.
MLB rumors: Red Sox labeled perfect trade fit for $34 million Brewers star

Feinsand lists a few reasons as to why this is the case. First of all, MLB teams don't worry too much about Japanese pitchers suffering drop-offs upon their arrival in the big leagues. Many have made the seamless transition stateside, so Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery's advantages as MLB-proven talent won't matter as much in the grand scheme of things.

Moreover, Shōta Imanaga is heading into his age-30 season, as he won't be turning 31 until September. Meanwhile, Snell and Montgomery are already 31 years of age. That one year may be splitting hairs, but when it comes to committing big money in free agency, that little difference matters.

Lastly, Imanaga may also come more cheaply than Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery; analysts project the Japanese international to receive a contract similar to the one Kodai Senga signed with the New York Mets prior to the 2023 season. For someone with a lifetime ERA of 2.96 in 192 games in Japan, signing a contract that's more in line with a five-year, $75 million deal is a bargain in today's market.