The Los Angeles Dodgers will not be the ones to win the Tatsuya Imai sweepstakes. The Seibu Lions ace made it clear that he isn’t looking to join other Japanese players. Imai also specifically claimed he doesn’t want the Dodgers.
He wants to beat them, to prove his merits as a competitor. And he specifically wants to face off against Shohei Ohtani. Imai shared respect for Ohtani, but challenged him in multiple ways while speaking with Daisuke Matsuzaka on the show, "Hodo Station.”
"Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki, but winning against a team like that and becoming a World Champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I'd rather take them down,” Imai said.
"If there were another Japanese player on the same team, I could just ask them about anything, right? But that’s actually not what I’m looking for. In a way, I want to experience that sense of survival. When I come face-to-face with cultural differences, I want to see how I can overcome them on my own -- that’s part of what I’m excited about.
"I really want to see how much my fastball holds up against (Ohtani)—to test myself by throwing it to him.
"He was great before, but he's picked it up another notch. I'm very, very excited."
Giants, Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets should feel good after Tatsuya Imai’s Dodgers statement
Declaring so publicly that he wants to defeat the Dodgers is a good sign for the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets, the most realistic suitors for Imai. Those franchises all have designs of being big spenders this season, though less so the Giants than the others.
Interestingly enough, San Francisco is probably the ideal landing spot because of the West Coast's proximity to the Pacific Rim, not to mention the on-field fit. The Giants can recoup Imai’s costs better than an East Coast team. Still, Imai saying that to Matsuzaka could be a good sign for the Red Sox and Mets.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are a known suitor for Imai. It’s unclear if Hal Steinbrenner’s stance on a lowered NYY payroll shared on Monday means they’re not as serious as one thought.