Japanese Pitcher Imai Posted for MLB, Wants to Face Dodgers

Tatsuya Imai, a standout right-handed pitcher from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, has been posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions for Major League Baseball free agency, opening a signing window that closes on January 2, 2026. The 27-year-old expressed a strong preference for competing against the Los Angeles Dodgers rather than joining their roster, where fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki already play.

Imai made his comments during an appearance on Japan's Asahi TV program "Hodo Station" on Monday, speaking with former MLB pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. "Of course, I'd enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki," Imai said. "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." He highlighted his desire to face Ohtani directly, noting that the two-time American League MVP debuted in NPB the same year Imai entered the league in 2018. "It's Shohei Ohtani," Imai said. "I really want to test how far my fastball can go against him."

The pitcher's stance stems partly from a wish to navigate the transition to MLB independently. "If there were...