Just a couple of years ago, in the 2023 offseason, the Yankees missed out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He picked the Dodgers instead and ended up winning this year’s World Series MVP. Then last year, Juan Soto slipped away to the Mets. And now, if you believe Scott Boras’ latest comments, the Yankees might be headed for another disappointment, again involving a Japanese star.

Remember those rumors linking New York to Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai? Turns out Boras doesn’t see that happening!

“According to agent Scott Boras, Tatsuya Imai has eyes on San Francisco, and it is believed that if the SFGiants are willing to meet the asking price, Imai would not hesitate to sign with the Giants,” Giantssfcentral reported.

Well, this update definitely caught us off guard. We figured the Dodgers would be the Yankees’ main competition for Imai since L.A. has basically become a magnet for top Japanese talent. And with the Mets’ massive payroll, they seemed like another obvious contender. But the Giants jumping into the mix? That surely came out of nowhere.

However, if you look at their past, San Francisco is always in the hunt for major free-agent stars, but they haven’t had much luck sealing those big signings. And now, with Justin Verlander hitting free agency, their rotation needs help. Hence, Imai, who went 10–5 with a 1.92 ERA in the NPB last season, might be the perfect fit.

Reportedly, Imai is seeking a seven-year, $200 million deal. And according to Scott Boras, if the Giants are willing to match that price, the Yankees could be watching another top target slip away.

So what’s special about this name?

Imai arguably is the top international name available this offseason, and it’s easy to see why MLB teams are lining up for him. Notably, over the last three seasons in NPB, Imai posted a 2.18 ERA over 470 innings. His pitch mix is nasty too… A fastball that touches 99 mph, a sharp slider, plus a changeup, splitter, and even a sinke,r he added late last year. Who wouldn’t want that kind of arsenal?

Now, the Giants have already shown they’re serious. The real question is the Yankees. After missing out on Yamamoto, fans definitely don’t want to relive that situation again.

The Yankees are rumoured to have another Japanese name

Apart from Tatsuya Imai, the Yankees are rumoured to be pursuing Munetaka Murakami!

Now, Murakami looks like a great fit for the Yankees, too. He’s posted an OPS over 1.000 in three of the last six seasons, including that ridiculous 1.168 mark in 2022 when he blasted 56 HRs in 141 games.

And if you remember how New York struggled on offense in 2025, this player just seems the best fit.

Despite having strong overall home run and run totals, they just couldn’t consistently support Aaron Judge. And Murakami feels like the exact piece they’ve been missing. Landing him might even help fans get over losing Juan Soto.

But the question is: will the Yankees actually make a move? Because Murakami won’t come cheap, with his projected price tag around $180 million.

And just like with other big-name free agents, all we’ve heard so far are rumors, not real action. It kind of feels like the Yankees are repeating the same old story of letting the top targets slip away.