Blue Jays Spark Buzz After Being Tied to Star Japanese Pitcher in Early Free Agency Rumors. DD
The Toronto Blue Jays are in the hunt for another star free agent.
With pitching a hot topic (then again, when is it not?) for the Blue Jays this offseason, the team appears to be showing interest in 27-year-old star Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai.
“A good player with a really interesting arsenal that had an incredible year,” Atkins said of Imai this week, as per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. “So we’ve done the (background) work and we have some more work to do on that front, but I’m glad that he’s going to be an option for the industry.”
As is often the case with him, Atkins’ answer doesn’t reveal a whole much, but it does at least confirm some of the Blue Jays’ interest.
Imai is expected to open his 45-day signing window on Nov. 19, per multiple reports.
What would the Blue Jays be getting in Imai?
Imai had a 1.92 ERA in 163.2 innings this past year in Japan for the Saitama Seibu Lions, picking up 175 strikeouts and 45 walks.
“Every season, I have played with the goal of winning the league championship and the Japan Series, and that ambition will not change with a new team,” Imai said recently, per MLB.com’s Brian Murphy. “I will continue to compete with a strong desire to win and do my best to contribute to my team’s success.”
Imai isn’t the only Japanese star looking to come over to the major leagues that Toronto is pursuing; the team is also reportedly showing interest in 25-year-old infielder Munetaka Murakami.
The slugging youngster has been one of the best power hitters in Japanese history. He’s hit 246 home runs in 892 games as a pro in Japan, while his 56 home runs in 2022 set a league record for most home runs by a Japanese player in a single season.
