The market for Tatsuya Imai is taking shape, and there are two big market teams on the Japanese pitcher: the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees.
On December 17, MLB insider Francys Romero reported, citing industry sources, that roughly five MLB teams are actively pursuing Imai. Moreover, Romero reveals that the Yankees and Cubs appear poised to emerge as the leading contenders to land him.
As Imai makes his decision, former MLB player Todd Frazier stated that the Yankees make the most sense for the 27-year-old rather than linking up with two Japanese players on the Cubs.
“I think [the Yankees] would be the best choice for him,” Frazier said on the December 17 edition of “Foul Territory.” “For the Yankees to have this guy here [is ideal]. [Imai’s] a really good pitcher [and] has understandably been in the spotlight for a long time. [He] knows what it’s all about…
“These two teams are a perfect match for him. He would suit well with both of them, but the Yankees are in much need of a starting pitcher right now, and this can only help them out, too. So, we’ll see pretty soon.”
Does Tatsuya Imai Make Sense for the Yankees?
Meanwhile, another former MLB player and co-host of the show, Erik Kratz, also stated that the Yankees would be the best fit for him, and that Imai would address a significant need for New York.
“I’d love to see the Yankees go after Imai because he solidifies that April-May before [Carlos] Rodón and [Gerrit] Cole come back, and even when they come back, you never know,“ Kratz said on the same program. “We saw a lot, especially with Cole, of guys coming back and maybe not being their best selves throughout the entire season.
“He’ll probably be able to lock it in during the postseason, but the Imai signing, I think, could also then free up somebody like Luis Gil that could maybe pry Byron Buxton away from the Twins.”
Cubs Urged to Land Tatsuya Imai
With Chicago appearing to be one of the frontrunners for Imai, Marquee Sports Network’s Bruce Levine recently urged the Cubs to do whatever it takes to get him.
“Here’s the thing about the Chicago Cubs that we don’t realize: They’re a big-market team, even though people have accused them of not spending like one, and they can absorb some failures,“ Levine said on December 2 during an appearance on Marquee Sports Network. “Every team must be able to absorb it; you can’t be perfect with everything.
“[Imai] is the best pitcher out there. He is a swing-and-miss type of guy, which they need to go along with [Cade] Horton. This is your guy. And Jed Hoyer has made a study of Japan over the last five or six years, taking numerous trips there. I think this is the guy for the Chicago Cubs.”
It will be interesting to see if the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki attempt to convince the Imai to join their squad. Chicago has become an attractive destination for Japanese players, so Imai would continue that trend, or perhaps the lure of the Yankees might be too much to pass on.
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