Following the arrivals of Tatsuya Imai and Munetaka Murakami in MLB, Kona Takahashi was expected to follow the same path. While rumors have linked him to the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels, the pitcher may be moving toward a surprising decision regarding his future.
Takahashi’s negotiation window closes this Sunday at 5 PM. According to MLB.com’s Brian Murphy and Mark Feinsand, there is at least one formal offer from an MLB team on the table for the Japanese pitcher.
However, the offer currently on the table for Takahashi may not be what he expected, and a return to Nippon Professional Baseball with the Seibu Lions remains a distinct possibility.
While playing in MLB is a dream for almost everyone—and Takahashi could potentially do so with the Padres or the Angels—it would not be far-fetched for the pitcher to return to the Lions for the upcoming season. The NPB club wants him on a new multi-year deal that would allow him to return to the open market next year as an unrestricted free agent.
Takahashi’s performance with the Lions
During 2022 and 2023, Takahashi established himself as one of the top pitchers in the NPB, posting a 2.20 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 330 2/3 combined innings. However, his performance took a step back in 2024, when he recorded an 0-11 record with a 3.87 ERA over 15 starts.
He managed to regain his form in 2025, going 8-9 with a 3.04 ERA in 24 outings. This resurgence allowed him to pursue his goal of joining the world’s premier baseball league.
Despite these solid numbers, Takahashi has never managed to record a strikeout rate higher than 20% during any of his seasons in Japan. In contrast, the MLB-average strikeout rate last year was 22.2%, highlighting a potential area of concern for major league scouts.