As the clock ticks towards the January 2 deadline, the Major League Baseball market is watching closely the movements of Tatsuya Imai. The 27-year-old right-handed pitcher, one of the brightest jewels of Japanese baseball, is in the United States to fine-tune the details of what will be his jump to the major leagues
Unlike other compatriots, Imai’s compass does not point to Southern California, but precisely in the opposite direction, where he is desperately seeking a new team.
Tatsuya Imai looking for team to compete against Dodgers
Imai has broken the traditional narrative for Japanese players. While the recent trend has been to join the Los Angeles Dodgers stars alongside Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the former Seibu Lions ace has been blunt: he wants to beat them.
For Imai, success does not lie in joining a super team, but in “survival” and the ability to overcome cultural barriers on one’s own.
“To win against such a team and be world champion would be the most valuable thing in my life,” he told Udo Times of TV Asahi, making it clear that his motivation is purely competitive and personal.
Tatsuya Imai talks about his future
In the interview, Imai broke his silence on the uncertainty surrounding his signing process. The pitcher was reflective on the difference between interest from teams and actual proposals.
“It seems that there are not many concrete options on the table yet. It seems that the fact that teams show interest and receive a formal offer are completely different things,” explained the player.
Imai also used the examples of other compatriots such as Masataka Yoshida and Munetaka Murakami to illustrate how volatile the winter market can be:
With Murakami, not a single person predicted how it would all end. The media don’t really know. What I see for myself – what I think and feel – that is what becomes the truth for me. That’s the only thing I trust
Tatsuya Imai’s numbers
Imai’s value in the market is supported by elite numbers that position him as an immediate impact starter:
- Earned Run Average (ERA): 1.92
- Strikeouts (K): 178
- Pitches Thrown: 163.2
- All-Star selections: 3
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