Yankees linked to three-time NPB All-Star to help stabilize injury-riddled rotation

Jared Bloom

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Yankees linked to three-time NPB All-Star to help stabilize injury-riddled rotation image

The start of the 2026 season could be tough on the New York Yankees. They will be without both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon to start the new season. 

Cole will still be rehabbing from the Tommy John surgery he received early last season. Rodon, on the other hand, will still be recovering from elbow surgery to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur in his left elbow. 

Because of this, the Yankees are expected to pick up a starting pitcher over the winter. The question is, who might they be interested in with so many names to choose from?

Yankees linked to three-time NPB All-Star to help stabilize injury-riddled rotation

Much of the attention will be on Framber Valdez and his market over the next few weeks/months. However, he is not the only intriguing name that teams will want to take a closer look at.

One player that could wind up being a steal on the open market is Tatsuya Imai. He was a three-time NPB All-Star in Japan and was recently posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions, and has been linked to the Yankees via ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"If Schwarber signs and unclogs the market, expect others to fall – either toward the end of the meetings or in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai could wind up with a big-market team on the East Coast, and the Yankees – with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon expected to miss the start of the season."

Passan believes that if Schwarber signs early, it could spark a market explosion. Not wanting to miss out on signing a big-name arm, the Bronx Bombers could aggressively pursue Imai and sign him so others do not. 

This will be something that fans will want to keep a close eye on when the MLB Winter Meetings start next week.

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