Overview
- Tatsuya Imai said in a Japanese TV interview that he has not received a formal MLB offer while meeting teams in the United States with agent Scott Boras.
- Imai’s 45-day posting window closes on Jan. 2 under league rules, and he would return to the Seibu Lions if no agreement is reached.
- Recent outcomes for posted stars, including Munetaka Murakami’s two-year, $34 million deal, have tempered expectations and slowed guarantees for NPB talent.
- Reported interest in Imai spans the Yankees, Phillies, Mets, Cubs, Red Sox, Giants, Padres, Blue Jays, Angels and Pirates, but clubs have been slow to submit bids.
- Imai has publicly ruled out signing with the Dodgers and has requested that any MLB deal include provisions for a trainer and an interpreter, while Kazuma Okamoto is stateside meeting teams with a Jan. 4 deadline and links to the Blue Jays, Pirates, Red Sox, Padres and Angels.