Are the Giants and Blue Jays the Top Destinations for a 27-Year-Old Japanese Starter?
Tatsuya Imai, the 27-year-old Japanese starter, has until January 2nd to decide which MLB team he will play for. In a recent interview with former MLB pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, Imai stated that while he would enjoy being teammates with his fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, he would prioritize being a world champion and taking down a juggernaut like the Los Angeles Dodgers. These comments raised plenty of questions about where the 27-year-old could land. Lucky for most teams, Imai seems to love a challenge and takes pride in being an underdog.
A goal of toppling the Dodgers would be music to most MLB teams’ ears. However, it might be most pleasing to the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays. As the Dodgers’ archrivals, the Giants would love to have a pitcher who is ready to battle a stacked Dodgers lineup. Crawling closer to giving the defending World Series Champions a run for their money in the NL West would be a massive win before the start of the season. Meanwhile, in Toronto, it’s a clear mission with the Blue Jays. Coming off their World Series defeat against the Dodgers, the goal is to put together another magical run and get over the hump to win it all.
Imai is coming off an immaculate season in the NPB. He held opposing teams to a 1.92 earned run average and struck out 178 batters over the course of almost 164 innings. In each of his last three NPB seasons, he’s thrown over 150 innings, proving that he has the durability to eat innings. Additionally, the 27-year-old has produced double-digit wins in the same timeframe, mirroring his drive to contribute to team success.
Though Imai is considered a wild card because he has no MLB experience, the Giants may still take a gamble. Adding the 27-year-old Japanese starter could be a statement move from the front office, following the formula for the three World Series Championships. Should the Giants find a way to keep veteran Justin Verlander and convince Imai to team up with Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Landen Roupp, the rotation would be quite formidable. Though the Giants mentioned they would be careful handing out contracts to pitchers over $100 million, would they make an exception?
An additional wrinkle to where Imai will land is Dylan Cease reportedly signing a seven-year $210 million deal with the Blue Jays. If they also end up signing Imai, then it will be a declaration of the team’s commitment to go “all in”. However, the Blue Jays’ homegrown talent, Bo Bichette, remains on the table. Will Bichette’s decision in free agency impact how actively Toronto pursues Imai?
