The sting of losing the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes last season still lingers for the New York Yankees, but they may have an immediate shot at redemption with Japan’s next phenom. An anonymous Yankees source says that the club will “do their best” to land the Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai.

But then, the Phillies, Mets, and Cubs are also showing strong interest in the Seibu Lions’ star. Of all the teams in contention for his services, the Phillies appear to hold a slight edge.

The news of Tatsuya Imai following Phillies ace Zack Wheeler on Instagram surfaced recently. Notably, Wheeler is one of the few major leaguers followed by the Japanese pitcher. Their Instagram connection alone may not mean much, but just as the update came to X, the Phillies’ nation was excited about the idea of Philadelphia signing Japan’s top free-agent pitcher.

However, compared to the Phillies, the Yankees are in more urgent need to bring in a starting pitcher. And with their quiet offseason so far, they are reportedly pushing harder for Tatsuya Imai.

Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole are both sidelined after undergoing surgeries, and with their absence, the Yankees need a true impact arm to fill the void. And Imai checks all the boxes for their needs. Plus, they need a next-generation ace to follow the 35-year-old Cole in the mid/long-term.

He had a stellar season with the Seibu Lions, posting a 1.92 ERA across 24 starts. Striking out 178 batters across 163.1 innings, he allowed only six home runs.

Many Japanese media outlets, such as Sponichi Annex and Nikkan Sports, have also linked the Yankees to Imai.

In the coming days, we can expect the Yankees to enter a competitive bidding war for the 27-year-old, who’s been ranked as “Special A” by several scouts. In fact, one organization official even called him “a top-class start even in the majors.” The rising ace is widely expected to command a lucrative contract in the range of seven years.

We won’t have to wait so long to get a resolution on Tatsuya Imai’s major league deal, as in-person meetings with interested teams are set to begin early next week. And luckily for those “interested teams,” the Dodgers won’t be in the mix.

Following Edwin Diaz’s $69M signing, Tatsuya Imai makes his stance clear on the Dodgers

This past week, Tatsuya Imai shared his stance about the Dodgers signing former Mets star Edwin Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract.

“With the number of pitchers they already have, they don’t need me.”

Top Stories

Blue Jays’ Embarrass NY Teams After Stealing $37M Mets Star as Kyle Tucker Deal Appears Likely

Blue Jays’ Kyle Tucker–Bo Bichette Push Turns Toronto’s Mockery Into AL East Nightmare as Yankees Face New Threat

Blue Jays to Show Exit Door to 3 Playoff Stars as Ross Atkins Plans Major Changes: MLB Winter Meeting Rumors

Blue Jays Make Massive Offseason Powerplay While Bo Bichette & Kyle Tucker Remain Unsigned

David Stearns Finally Breaks Silence With Offseason Move as Red Sox’s $26M Chase Hits Bitter Roadblock

Back in November, Imai expressed that he would enjoy playing alongside fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. However, he also doubled down on that thought with a bold take.

“Winning against a team like that and becoming a world champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I’d rather take them down.”

Imai doesn’t seem like the one chasing the two-time World Series champions.

“When I come face-to-face with cultural differences, I want to see how I can overcome them on my own. That’s part of what I’m excited about,” he added.

After his recent comments, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said, “I mean, to be honest, it’s no different than any other starting pitcher out there. They all want to take us down. That’s what makes it fun to play for the Dodgers. You’re going to get everyone’s best every single night.”

Imai is reportedly planning to visit all the MLB teams interested in signing him. Let’s see where the NPB star eventually lands.