Throughout the World Series, the Blue Jays fans wasted their energy booing the wrong Japanese player. Forget Shohei Ohtani. It was Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto who crushed the Blue Jays’ dreams of their first World Series title in 32 years. He completely shut down the Blue Jays’ potent lineup, throwing a four-hit complete game as the Dodgers cruised to a 5-1 victory the other night. To stand toe-to-toe with the Dodgers and the rest, the Blue Jays need their own ace-level arm like Yoshi. Luckily for them, there’s one available, and the Blue Jays will most likely be making their move.

According to Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors, Tatsuya Imai’s NPB team, the Saitama Seibu Lions, announced that they’ll be posting the right-hander for MLB teams to pursue this winter.

General manager Ross Atkins has made it clear that the Blue Jays plan to add starting pitching this winter. If that’s truly the case, then making a splash in the Japanese market by signing Imai could be a move that pays off both now and in the long run.

While the exact posting date is unknown, Imai is expected to become a sought-after free agent target across the league. Since he’s 27, Imai can be signed like a standard free agent, without teams having to dip into their international bonus pool.

That’s a big difference from last offseason. Back when Toronto’s pursuit of the younger Roki Sasaki was limited by those international spending rules.

While some scouts see Imai as more of a back-end starter or even a potential reliever, there’s plenty to like about his profile. The Japanese phenom is a three-time NPB All-Star and is coming off a dominant season in which he posted a 1.92 ERA over 24 starts and 163 2/3 innings. He hasn’t finished with an ERA above 3.00 since 2021.

Imai even features a mid-90s fastball that can touch 99 mph. He pairs it with a sharp slider and two additional pitches that round out an impressive arsenal.

Polishuk projects Imai to land a deal in the range of six years and $150 million. On top of that, whichever club signs him will owe a posting fee to the Saitama Seibu Lions. That will make the total cost of the acquisition even higher. Still, the price tag might be justified in this case.

If the Blue Jays don’t land the Japanese ace, there’s still a 29-year-old ace who could step in and fill the gap.

The Blue Jays could pursue this 29-year-old ace

The Toronto Blue Jays have made several big swings in free agency over the past few years. This offseason could be no different after coming this close to a World Series title.

On Monday, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith published a column previewing what could be a pivotal winter for the organization. He noted that the Blue Jays are expected to be linked to several marquee free agents. They will target top starting pitchers, with Dylan Cease being one name to watch.

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The Blue Jays have already secured Shane Bieber for 2026. You can expect them to stay active in conversations with some big names, starting with Bo Bichette. Re-signing him will be their top priority.

Cease is one of the top position players on the market, as well as one of the three best available starters. He’s in the same ranking as Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez. Cease is younger than Valdez and Suarez, and he could be the right choice to elevate the Blue Jays, making them one of the strong contenders for the 2026 World Series Championship.

Do you think the Jays should sign Cease?