In recent offseasons, the Philadelphia Phillies expressed interest in signing Japanese players who were posted from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). They were unable to add Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Shota Imanaga in the 2023 offseason.
Several Japanese players have been posted to free agency from NPB this offseason. Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, Kona Takahashi, and Tatsuya Imai are all looking to continue their respective careers in MLB.
And there was a recent development that will spark speculation among Phillies fans. According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) from Phillies Tailgate, Imai started following Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler on Instagram.
Could Tatsuya Imai have an interest in signing with the Phillies?
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have had success in adding Japanese players in recent seasons, such as Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Roki Sasaki, are viewed as a suitor for any Japanese free agent due to their history of signing players from the country.
Imai has already said publicly that he's not interested in signing with the Dodgers and that he would rather beat them.
"Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki," Imai said, per MLB.com's Michael Clair and Ayako Oikawa. "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 compiled a 10-5 record, a 1.92 ERA, and a 0.89 WHIP in 163 2/3 innings pitched over 24 games with the Saitama Seibu Lions this season. He finished with 178 strikeouts and allowed 45 walks.
The 27-year-old has also said that he is looking forward to the challenge of experiencing a cultural difference by signing with an MLB team.
"If there were another Japanese player on the same team, I could just ask them about anything, right?" Imai said, per Clair and Oikawa. "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.”
The Phillies, who are unlikely to re-sign starter Ranger Suárez this winter, still have a strong starting rotation with Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Wheeler in 2026. Currently, Taijuan Walker and prospect Andrew Painter are expected to compete for the remaining open spot in spring training.
Regardless, a team can never have enough options in its starting rotation, which is why Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski should try to make a splash with Imai.
The right-hander primarily throws a fastball, slider, and changeup. His fastball primarily ranges between 93-96 mph, with the maximum velocity in high-leverage situations reaching 99-100 mph. He'd be a solid addition to one of the better starting rotations in baseball and Phillies fans will be intrigued by the latest news of Imai following Wheeler on Instagram.
Imai has until Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. ET to sign with an MLB team,otherwise, he'll return to play in Japan for the 2026 season. The addition of Imai would boost the Phillies' stock as a club that future Japanese players coming to MLB should consider signing with.