The MLB offseason is in full swing, and a few international free agents in particular appear to be holding up the hot stove proceedings.
Rumors about infielders Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, and pitchers Tatsuya Imai and Kona Takahashi, who have recently been posted for MLB teams, are starting to fly. International players can be posted from November 1 to December 5. Once posted, MLB teams have 45 days to negotiate a contract.
Building on the growing buzz, MLB Network insider Jon Morosi lists the San Francisco Giants as a possible early suitor for Imai. Morosi says, "I think Imai is the perfect pitcher for that ballpark [Oracle Park]." Fellow analyst Harold Reynolds did express concern about Imai being only 154 lbs., though.
.@jonmorosi pinpoints the San Francisco Giants as an early potential suitor for Japanese RHP Tatsuya Imai. Pic.twitter.com/0PxBSaJLtJ
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 20, 2025
Turning to Imai's performance, this past season he dazzled with a career-best 1.92 ERA over 163 2/3 innings, boasting a remarkable 0.89 WHIP and a stellar 178:45 strikeout-to-walk ratio for the Seibu Lions.
For four straight years, he's kept his ERA under 3.00. With his stamina and skill, the right-hander could become the perfect partner for Logan Webb—a formidable one-two punch atop any rotation (Webb has worked at least 190 innings in four consecutive seasons). Imai electrifies hitters with a mid-90s fastball that can touch 99 mph, a sharp slider, and a devastating splitter.
Furthermore, at 27, Imai's health and consistency make him a sought-after target; his command also suits Oracle Park. The Giants' ballpark favors pitchers due to the cool, dense Pacific air and wind blowing in from McCovey Cove. Baseball Savant ranked Oracle Park 27th in home run factor among MLB parks in 2025.
With negotiations soon to begin, MLB teams have until January 2 to reach a contract agreement with Imai, so be ready to hear a lot of rumors swirling around the Japanese pitcher. If Imai ends up in San Francisco, the Giants will have a formidable duo at the top of their starting rotation.
The Giants have previously tried to sign Japanese pitchers Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto during their posting periods but were unsuccessful. Giants fans are hoping that fate will be reversed in the coming weeks.