The New York Yankees look increasingly likely to finally make a major move in free agency. At the moment, the team has only made a few minor deals and retained outfielder Trent Grisham. Re-signing Cody Bellinger remains one of the most important pieces of business for the club. Nevertheless, there are other glaring needs for the Yankees as well.
One specific area of concern for the team is starting pitching. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt are all set to miss a chunk of the 2026 season due to elbow issues. Because of this, New York’s rotation to start the campaign is filled with question marks. Max Fried may just be the only healthy and truly dependable starter for manager Aaron Boone.
With all of this uncertainty, there is no secret that the Yankees want to bring in another quality starter. While several free agent pitchers have been linked with New York, Tatsuya Imai is emerging as possibly the most likely candidate to sign with the club. Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch claimed on December 16 that the team’s interest in Imai is “legitimate.”
Hoch went on to explain that there are multiple motives for New York to be attracted to the Japanese pitcher. “I believe the Yankees are right there in the Imai market,” continued the reporter. “There’s too many reasons for them not to be.”
New York Yankees Desperately Want to Sign a Japanese Star
GettyThe New York Yankees’ last Japanese player was Masahiro Tanaka in 2020.
One of these reasons is simply that Imai has proven to be a quality pitcher. The 27-year-old star posted a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts in 163.2 innings in 2025. He also recorded an impressive 0.892 WHIP on his final season in Japan.
In addition to his statistics, the Yankees also aim to acquire a Japanese player. As Hoch pointed out, it has been a while since New York has tapped into that specific market. “They haven’t had a Japanese player since Masahiro Tanaka, but it hasn’t been for a lack of trying — remember, they were right there at the finish line for Yoshinobu Yamamoto,” claimed Hoch.
In the end, Yamamoto eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a massive 12-year, $325 million contract. Despite the willingness to offer Yamamoto a substantial amount of money, Yankees GM Brian Cashman admitted that the difference in weather between L.A. and New York may have influenced the pitcher’s decision.
It remains to be seen if Imai has similar feelings towards temperature as his compatriot. However, Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer also reports that Imai is the “most likely” free agent starter to become a Yankee. “[New York] tends to like pitchers with big stuff, and he checks that box in a big way with as many as five above-average pitches in his arsenal… they have the budget to afford a nine-figure deal for him,” wrote Rymer.
Potentially securing Imai would be a solid start to free agency for the Yankees. Fans of the Bronx Bombers should not have to wait too long for the pitcher’s final decision either. Because the Japanese league posted the star on in mid-November.
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