Tatsuya Imai has officially entered the MLB market, and he is not shy about setting the tone for his next chapter. The 27-year-old right-hander, who was posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball, is now eligible to negotiate with major league clubs until January 2.
Imai is regarded as one of the most intriguing international arms available this winter, and his posting comes at a time when several MLB teams are looking to bolster their rotations. Despite that, he appears to have ruled out one of the league’s most star-studded teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That clarity came through a striking remark Imai delivered when asked about the possibility of joining Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki in Los Angeles.
Tatsuya Imai makes bold statement about Dodgers
“I want to take them down,” Imai said in a recent interview, translated to English, via TV ASAHI. “(Playing together with players like Ohtani, Yamamoto, Sasaki, and others) of course, sounds fun, but I think beating a team like that and becoming world champions would be the most valuable thing in my life.”
The comment instantly drew attention across MLB circles. In a free-agent market where players often avoid direct statements, Imai’s competitive tone stood out — and likely earned him new supporters even before he throws his first pitch in the majors.
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Tatsuya Imai’s NPB track record
Imai leaves Japan with one of the strongest résumés among available pitchers. A three-time NPB All-Star, he just completed his eighth professional season, delivering one of the best campaigns of his career. In 2025, he made 24 starts and recorded a 10–5 record with a 1.92 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and 178 strikeouts to 45 walks over 163 2/3 innings. He also threw five complete games, including three shutouts.
Scouting report: What Imai brings to MLB
Despite being slightly undersized by MLB standards at 5’11” and 176 pounds — similar to Yamamoto’s build — Imai generates impressive velocity. His four-seam fastball regularly sits in the mid-90s and can touch 99 mph. His primary secondary pitch is a sharp mid-80s slider, complemented by a splitter, a sinker, and an occasional changeup.
Imai throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot, creating natural movement and deception. His fastball-slider combination projects well to MLB competition, and his durability in NPB adds to his appeal.
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