Tatsuya Imai from Japan aims to defeat the Dodgers amidst Yankees speculation

Dodgers Eyeing Japanese Talent, But Imai Has Other Plans

The Dodgers seem to be making a strong push for Japanese players, yet among them, right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai stands out the most, but he’s not too keen on joining them.

Imai, currently in a 45-day posting window to potentially sign with an MLB team, recently downplayed the Dodgers’ appeal as a preferred destination.

In a light-hearted interview with former MLB player Daisuke Matsuzaka on Japan’s TV Asahi, Imai made it clear that he has no interest in simply becoming part of the Dodgers, who have been dominant in recent seasons.

“I would rather beat them,” Imai laughed, showing his competitive spirit. He reflected on teaming up with fellow Japanese stars like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, saying, “Of course, it’s fun to play together, but beating a team like that and becoming a world champion would be the most rewarding thing in my life.”

At 27, Imai was drafted by the Seibu Lions and has rapidly gained attention as one of the most sought-after pitchers this offseason.

Throughout his career with the Lions, Imai accumulated impressive stats, boasting a 1.92 ERA in 2025 and racking up 178 strikeouts over 163⅓ innings. Despite some inconsistency early on, he has emerged as one of Japan’s leading pitchers, earning All-Star nods and even throwing a no-hitter last season.

While looking to make a name for himself in MLB, Imai hopes to join a team without any existing Japanese players. He believes that part of the excitement lies in navigating the cultural differences alone.

“They’ll tell you anything if you ask them, right? But I don’t really want that. I want to experience a survival atmosphere,” he noted.

The Dodgers have recently attracted several notable Japanese players, including Ohtani, a four-time MVP, and World Series star Yamamoto. There are also rumors about another Japanese talent, Munetaka Murakami, having dinner with Yamamoto, which has fueled speculation that he could be next in line to join the Dodgers.

On the other hand, the Yankees, who haven’t had a Japanese player since Masahiro Tanaka in 2020, are reportedly interested in Imai as the posting window closes on January 2, 2026.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, while acknowledging past challenges in attracting international talent, expressed his willingness to consider any player capable of enhancing the team.

Interestingly, during his conversation with Matsuzaka, Imai mentioned that, like Matsuzaka’s own experience leaving Japan for the MLB, his desire to compete against top talent—specifically, Shohei Ohtani—motivates him most.