It appears the threat of tariffs has had little effect on the import of luxury items from the Far East for Major League Baseball teams that often shop in the more expensive aisles.
And the New York Yankees may just walk away with the hidden gem.
There are a handful of players from Japan and South Korea who are expected to be available in the MLB market this offseason. Two who have generated some of the most attention are a pair of big-hitting third baseman, Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto.
Murakami, 25, is known for his power, and in 2022, he bashed 56 home runs to set a new single-season record for a Japan-born player, surpassing the iconic Sadaharu Oh, whose mark had stood since 1964. During an era in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) when players average about 60 plate appearances per home run, Murakami hits one every nine or so trips to the plate.
Okamoto, 29, has been a consistent home run hitter during his career and is the better contact hitter of the pair. He hit 30 or more home runs for six straight seasons in the NPB, which plays a 143-game season, and he clubbed a career-high of 41 in 2023 before falling back to 27 last year.
It has been reported that Murakami will assuredly be posted by his team, the Yakult Swallows, and will be available as a free agent. No official word has been released on Okamoto, but industry opinion indicates that he will likely be posted by the Yomiuri Giants this winter.
Yankees Expected to Target Right-Handed Pitcher Tatsuya Imai, Who Has a 1.50 ERA This Season
The third player, Tatsuya Imai, hasn’t been mentioned nearly as much in the U.S. media, but scouts – including those working for the Yankees – surely know who he is.
A 27-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Seibu Lions, Imai has posted a ridiculous ERA of 2.10 since the 2022 season. Through 20 games and 143.2 innings this season, Imai has an ERA of just 1.50 ERA, with a 28.8% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate.
At just 5-foot-11, 154 pounds, Imai does not strike an imposing pose on the pitcher’s mound, but he has averaged over a strikeout per inning during his current four-season stretch. In a Thursday analysis of the upcoming free agency market, ESPN’s Jeff Passan highlighted the arsenal of Japan’s hardest-throwing starter, starting with a mid-90s fastball that can hit 99.
“With a vicious slider, a changeup, a splitter, a curveball and a sinker he picked up this season, Imai has the sort of pitch mix that teams covet,” Passan stressed.
Speculation Suggests Tatsuya Imai Will be Posted by Seibu Lions This Winter
Imai is scheduled to become a true free agent after the 2026 season, but speculation is that Seibu will not risk losing Imai for nothing and will post him this winter. Jake Elman of FanSided has predicted that Imai will sign with the New York Yankees.
“Passan shared that sources are divided on how much Imai could command on the open market, with one estimate going as high as $200 million. Others were more skeptical, and one of Passan’s sources even proposed an $80 million contract,” Elman wrote. “Don’t be surprised to see the New York Yankees … go all-in on trying to land Imai, especially given their history in attracting Japanese pitchers.”
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