Right-hander Tatsuya Imai has rapidly risen to the top of the MLB free agent pitching market following an outstanding career in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and will be signing at some point over the next two weeks.
MLB Rumors Suggest Cubs Lead The Tatsuya Imai Sweepstakes
There will be no shortage of interested teams. After spending eight seasons with the Saitama Seibu Lions, where he posted a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts over 163⅔ innings in 2025, Imai elected to enter the posting system and pursue a move to Major League Baseball. His recent dominance and his overall body of work make him one of the most coveted starters this offseason.
The Chicago Cubs have emerged as one of the leading MLB teams pursuing Imai. Multiple reports from insiders suggest that the Cubs are “serious suitors”, and could even be favorites in the chase.
The Cubs’ success signing and integrating Japanese talent, including Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga, could make the transition smoother for Imai. Their familiarity with NPB stars might give them an edge, despite the Dodgers seemingly dominating the Japan-to-US pipeline in recent years.
Chicago’s rotation has vacancies for a front-end starter, and adding a pitcher like Imai would immediately elevate their postseason prospects.
Sources: Teams in on 27 year old Japanese star Tatsuya Imai “expect” the star to sign with #Cubs come the new year. Imai pitched to 1.92 ERA striking out 178 batters over 163.2 innings last year in the NPB. Huge get for #Cubs #MoccBomb pic.twitter.com/kcEZqkCltt
— MoccBomb (@MoccBomb) December 19, 2025
While the Cubs are well positioned, the New York Yankees are widely reported to be finalists alongside Chicago in the race for Imai. New York’s financial muscle and rotation needs make them natural contenders, even if their pursuit could impact spending on other offseason targets.
It’s also worth noting that in any high-profile international pursuit, dark-horse teams, such as the Phillies or Mets, could emerge late in the process.
A decision should be made soon. On Friday, it was reported that Tatsuya Imai was making his way to the United States, likely for his final round of negotiations. The MLB deadline for him to sign is January 2nd, a date which is rapidly approaching.
