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34m ago

Mets Show Interest in Japan’s Tatsuya Imai as Seibu Lions Plan MLB Posting

Interest follows a 1.92 ERA season as evaluators debate his MLB translation.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 02: A view of a New York Mets baseball cap on the stairs of the dugout during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 02, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The Mets are evaluating right-hander Tatsuya Imai, with SNY reporting their pursuit will be more measured than last winter’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto bid.
  • The Saitama Seibu Lions announced they intend to post Imai for MLB clubs, though the formal posting has not yet occurred.
  • Imai, 27, logged a 1.92 ERA over roughly 163 innings in 2025 and features a 95–99 mph fastball with a slider and changeup.
  • Market expectations vary, with MLB Trade Rumors projecting six years and $150 million plus an estimated $24.375 million posting fee, while a Bleacher Report prediction pegs five years and $110 million with the Mets.
  • New York’s rotation ranked 18th in ERA in 2025, and league chatter described Imai as intriguing yet not a sure bet to succeed as an MLB starter.