The Chicago Cubs have been linked to some good players this offseason, like Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette. But the main thing they are looking to improve is their pitching department, and one of the best answers on the market is Tatsuya Imai. But guess who his agent is, and you will know the problem the Cubs are facing.

“If you’re the Cubs, and you want to be a serious contender, you have to have that top-end pitching,” said Mick Gillispie. “I feel like the Cubs are squarely in the mix… Plus, he’s got Scott Boras as an agent. So, um, that Scott knows how to make some money. That’s kind of been his thing.”

Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai remains on the posting market, with his deadline set for January 2. He is 27, coming off two seasons with ERAs of 1.92 and 2.34 in Japan. Imai averaged over 6.2 innings per start and recorded 178 strikeouts last season with Seibu. Scouts project him as a mid-rotation starter in MLB, backing his strong numbers with solid command improvements in recent years.

Chicago remains one of several teams linked to Imai’s posting window, in the mix alongside franchise competitors. Historically, Jed Hoyer has not given out many massive long-term deals, as their richest contracts top out around Jason Heyward’s $184 million extension and a few others above $125 million.

These figures sit well below recent elite pitcher markets, indicating a more cautious Cubs payroll approach. Chicago’s available payroll around the 2025 season sat at roughly $210 million, with flexibility but a history of measured spending.

Contract projections for Imai suggest a six-year deal near $135 million, including posting fees owed to his NPB club, though other estimates range higher depending on market competition. The Cubs would need to move outside their usual contract profile if they truly want his services, paying near the projected $135 million range or possibly more.

Such a move would be one of the larger commitments to pitching in their recent history.

Scott Boras represents Imai, and his involvement shapes the market around the pitcher’s contract size and competing offers. Boras has a history of negotiating top-value deals for his clients, sometimes driving market prices above typical projections. This factor increases the financial risk for any team considering Imai, especially one like the Cubs that traditionally avoids super-large pitching contracts.

With his posting window closing soon, Boras’s influence and Imai’s strong performance place real pressure on Chicago’s decision makers in a competitive pitching market.

The Cubs talk pitching urgency, but urgency changes tone when Scott Boras enters negotiations. Tatsuya Imai offers real rotation value, yet Chicago’s history suggests hesitation costs contenders annually. If Jed Hoyer wants credibility, paying Boras prices beats explaining thrift every October again.

How similar is Tatsuya Imai to MLB pitchers?

Everyone is suddenly very sure they know what this pitcher is, usually after watching three clips and a velocity chart. That confidence is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Before anyone rushes to crown or dismiss Tatsuya Imai, it helps to slow down, squint a little, and ask what MLB pitchers he actually resembles, and why that matters now.

Imai posted a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts across 163 2/3 innings in the NPB season. His fastball averages 95 mph with roughly 15 inches of arm-side run from a low slot.

That profile closely matches Luis Castillo, who pairs similar velocity, movement, and durability as a starter. Castillo has logged multiple 180-plus inning seasons, showing how such traits translate over MLB schedules.

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Usage patterns further align Imai with Max Scherzer through heavy fastball-slider reliance against right-handed hitters. In 2025, over 90 percent of his pitches to righties were fastballs and sliders combined. Scherzer shows the same split, while both attack up-zone fastballs generated strikeouts consistently in MLB.

This alignment indicates a ready-made game plan familiar to catchers and analysts across major league staffs.

Individual pitch traits deepen the parallel, starting with a four-seamer resembling Joe Ryan’s fastball metrics. Ryan recorded 109 strikeouts on four-seamers in 2025, supported by similar induced vertical break rates. Imai also deploys changeups and splitters together, a mix shared by Paul Skenes usage patterns.

That depth allows teams to project rotation stability, matchup flexibility, and sustained innings across seasons.

Comparisons stop being casual when Luis Castillo, Max Scherzer, and Joe Ryan keep appearing, honestly. Tatsuya Imai is not a mystery project but a profile MLB teams already understand deeply. That may unsettle expectations, but familiarity, not hype, often decides who survives an MLB rotation.