The Phillies were one of the teams in the mix for Japanese pitching star Tatsuya Imai. But it looks like they are stepping back as the posting window is about to close. Even though they already have a few free agent signings and trades under their belt, the Phillies seem hesitant to commit to a long-term deal for the 27-year-old right-hander.

On X, Phillies Tailgate put it plain and simple: “The well-funded Phillies and Blue Jays are cautious about the risks of long-term, large-scale contracts, and it’s been said they haven’t yet offered specific terms to [Tatsuya Imai].”

Now Imai is not just another player—he is one person who has been turning heads in Japan for a while now. Last season alone, he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 163 2/3 innings.

And over the last eight seasons at NPB, he established himself as a solid, proven starter, and his 3.15 career ERA speaks to that.

However, even after the bells and whistles, he has come to the market, which has been really slow for Tatsuya Imai. And not just him, but other Japanese players too—even Murakami signed a lesser deal. The Phillies could have used this slow market and cracked into the Japanese player scene and snagged a top-tier starter for a good price.

But, well, it seems like they are letting a prime chance pass through their fingers. But whilst they hesitate, the Chicago White Sox, according to Phillies Tailgate, are one team who are entering the sweepstakes. The White Sox are looking for redemption and a chance to revive their legacy as a veteran team. They signed Munetaka Murakami, and they are clearly looking to retool quickly, then wait for a long time for a rebuild.

For now, the teams need to hurry because the posting window is closing at 5:00 p.m. ET on January 2. Hopefully, the Mets are listening!

Mets like Tatsuya Imai, but there’s a rookie roadblock

The New York Mets are in the Imai sweepstakes. And why not? That tricky “wrong way slider,” which keeps hitters off-balance, demands attention. On paper, Imai could instantly headline the Mets’ rotation. But there is a catch. According to Jon Heyman, the Mets are hesitating because of one reason—they love the young arms already in the system.

President of Baseball Operations David Stearns thinks that the guys like Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong are not just depth pieces; they are ready to make a major impact in the next season. And here is where the questions come—do you shell out $150 million plus for a pitcher who has zero experience in MLB? Or do you trust the homegrown talent you have to grow into aces?

Imai does not block anyone as such, but committing that kind of money could limit flexibility when the Mets need it. For the team, it’s a high-risk and high-reward scene.

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McLean, for context, has shown flashes this season and posted a 2.06 ERA over eight starts and honestly looked like the frontline starter in the making. Tong has a rough go with a 7.71 ERA in five starts, but then the underlying numbers tell a better story—22 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. So the Mets see both as long-term pieces, and this makes the free-agent splash as massive as Imai’s tough.

Add Imai to the rotation featuring McLean and Tong, and it can be chaos or fireworks, nothing in between.