5 things to know about rumored Red Sox target and Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai

The Pink Sox appear to be within the combine for one more notable free agent.

Boston has been related to Japanese right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai and is believed to be one of many golf equipment most within the pitcher, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand recently reported.

Imai, 27, has pitched for NPB’s Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan since 2017. Listed here are 5 issues to know concerning the rumored Pink Sox goal.

He’s emerged as considered one of NPB’s finest pitchers, breaking data as soon as held by Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Imai has rapidly emerged as a high arm in NPB during the last couple of years. He’s been named an All-Star in every of the final two seasons, posting a 1.92 ERA over 24 outings in 2025 after logging a 2.34 ERA in 25 outings in 2024.

When it comes to strikeouts, hits, and walks, Imai has logged very comparable strikeout charges during the last two years (9.7 and 9.8 per 9 innings in every of the final two years). He had a 0.892 WHIP in 2025 after recording a 1.165 WHIP in 2024. Imai did have some management points previous to his latest surgence, with a walks per 9 fee over 4 in each season earlier than the final two years.

Imai has averaged roughly 6 2/3 innings pitched per outing during the last two years, so he’s confirmed he can pitch deep into video games. That helped him set a Seibu Lions document this previous season, when he struck out 17 hitters in a single recreation. That document was beforehand held by former Pink Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. He additionally pitched a mixed no-hitter this 12 months.

He’s projected to be a middle-of-the-rotation arm.

The hardest factor about signing worldwide free brokers is projecting how their recreation will translate to MLB. The Pink Sox have had blended success prior to now in signing high-profile worldwide free brokers, with Matsuzaka displaying some high-end stuff earlier than cooling off in his tenure in Boston. Extra not too long ago, Masataka Yoshida has been in a position to hit for common, however has left loads to be desired elsewhere together with his recreation.

For Imai, the expectations don’t appear to be beautifully excessive, a minimum of in comparison with Yoshinobu Yamamoto when the Dodgers signed him two offseasons in the past. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel believes Imai would ideally be a No. 3 starter for an MLB workforce, believing his ERA would sit within the 3.00-4.00 vary. MLB.com’s David Adler famous that Imai’s ceiling isn’t as excessive as Yamamoto’s, both.

His fastball is his main pitch, however his slider has been his handiest.

Imai’s fastball has change into a fairly productive pitch for him. His common fastball sits round 95 mph, however tops out at 99 mph. He generated a 20 % whiff fee with the pitch in 2025, throwing a fastball in 48 % of his pitches, per MLB.com. For reference, that quantity is healthier than the whiff fee Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello had been in a position to produce for the Pink Sox final season.

Imai’s slider, in the meantime, generated a 46 % whiff fee as he used the pitch 33 % of the time in 2025, per MLB.com. Solely three pitchers generated the next whiff fee with their slider final season. Amongst certified pitchers, solely seven MLB pitchers had the next whiff fee with their slider final season.

Imai additionally has a splitter, changeup, and curveball as a part of his pitching arsenal.

Which pitchers has he been in comparison with?

Imai has a smaller body, standing at 5-foot-11, however each ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and MLB.com’s David Adler in contrast him to 6-4 Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage. Adler made the comparability as a result of he thinks that Imai’s slider has an analogous “backwards” motion as Yesavage’s, whereas McDaniel made the comparability as a consequence of having an analogous method of their assault.

Adler additionally in contrast components of Imai’s recreation to Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo, Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, and Pirates ace Paul Skenes. On high of that, he thinks Imai’s fastball is just like one other pitcher the Pink Sox have not too long ago focused, Joe Ryan, based mostly on their comparable low arm slot.

He has till Jan. 2 to signal with a workforce. Who has been linked to him?

In contrast to most different free brokers, Imai has to undergo a posh course of. He was posted by his NPB workforce in November, which means he solely has a 45-day window to signal with a workforce. Whichever workforce indicators Imai will even should pay a posting price, which may go nicely into eight figures.

The Yankees have been the workforce most linked to Imai this offseason. Nevertheless, Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone said on Friday that the workforce has but to satisfy with Imai. The Cubs are additionally reportedly in the mix for Imai.

The Athletic projected that Imai would receive an eight-year, $190 million contract initially of the offseason.