Tatsuya Imai Will Be Posted for MLB Teams, What to Know About Japanese Star

The Seibu Lions intend to post starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

The right-hander made 24 appearances in 2025, going 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts across 163.2 innings.

Under an agreement between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball, teams have 45 days to negotiate a player after he's officially posted. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported in September that Imai was projected to get anywhere from $80 million to $200 million if he signs an MLB contract.

Imai will turn 28 next May, which is three years older than Yoshinobu Yamamoto was in his rookie season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. A three-time All-Star in NPB, he hasn't accumulated the accolades Yamamoto earned in Japan, either. Because of those two factors, he's unlikely to sign for $300-plus million.

The success of both Yamamoto, Kodai Senga and Shota Imanaga — each has one All-Star appearance — is likely to encourage teams to make an aggressive play for Imai.

FanGraphs' Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan wrote he "has steadily improved as a strike-thrower and innings-eater each of the last three years" and "has the stuff of a good mid-rotation starter."

Will Sammon and Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic provided a similar assessment, pointing to a fastball that can reach 99 mph and secondary pitches (a splitter and slider) that could be potentially effective.

"There are parts of Imai's game that need refinement," they said. "Multiple scouts expressed some concern about his relaxed demeanor, theorizing he may need to 'throttle up' to be at his best. And all the usual caveats — using a different ball, performing in a different environment and possible arsenal changes — for a pitcher making the leap from NPB apply. But he could also easily be a capable mid-rotation starter for an MLB team."

Among this year's class of free agents, one starting pitcher doesn't stand head and shoulders above the rest. Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Michael King and Zac Gallen have all been effective on the mound, but none is an undisputed ace on the mound.

Imai should be arriving in MLB at a good time from that standpoint.

It remains to be seen, however, how teams and players approach free agency this winter with the threat of a possible work stoppage in 2027 looming.