NEW YORK — The race for Tatsuya Imai just shifted dramatically. The San Francisco Giants have backed away from their pursuit of the Japanese right-hander, handing the Yankees a major advantage in the bidding war.
Just days ago, an ESPN poll of MLB executives predicted the Giants would land Imai. San Francisco received five votes in that survey. The Yankees and Dodgers each got three. Everything pointed toward the 27-year-old ace heading to the Bay Area.
Then came Saturday’s report from ESPN’s Buster Olney. The Giants are no longer in the hunt for premium pitching options. The revelation stunned the baseball world and reshuffled the deck in the Yankees’ favor.
Report exposes Giants’ budget limitations
“The Giants have been repeatedly linked to Tatsuya Imai, the premier free agent pitcher from Japan,” Olney wrote on X. “But a lot of their market pitching inquiries have been for more modestly priced arms. A strong indication they aren’t chasing the highest priced pitchers, like Imai.”
San Francisco has only $138 million allocated to their 2026 payroll, according to Spotrac. The team has handed out just three contracts exceeding $150 million in franchise history. Two belong to Matt Chapman and Willy Adames. The third went to Buster Posey, now the team’s president of baseball operations.
Chairman Greg Johnson signaled the cautious approach earlier this month. When asked about signing a pitcher to a $100 million deal, Johnson told the San Francisco Standard his club was “going to be very cautious about those kinds of signings.” Imai’s projected contract starts at $150 million.
Giants pivoting toward cheaper alternatives
MLB.com’s Maria Guardado reported the Giants are “more likely” to bring back Justin Verlander or pursue free agents like Max Scherzer, Zac Gallen or Michael King. Each would cost significantly less than the Japanese ace. Michael King carries the highest estimated value among that group at four years and $91 million.
Posey traveled to Japan in summer 2025 to scout players. The Giants finished as finalists for Yoshinobu Yamamoto two years ago. They pursued Shohei Ohtani twice. Both chose other destinations. Now San Francisco appears ready to step aside once more. The team’s withdrawal removes the Yankees’ most serious competition.
Yankees now positioned as frontrunners
MLB Trade Rumors described the Yankees as “highly motivated” in the Imai sweepstakes. The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty reported the Yankees are expected to “earnestly pursue” the right-hander. With the Giants out, New York faces fewer obstacles.
General manager Brian Cashman confirmed the interest at the GM meetings after speaking with agent Scott Boras. “We have been very aggressive in the more recent market, but fell short,” Cashman said. “Those players made the decision to go play for the Dodgers. So I’m interested in gravitating to any player anywhere in the world, including Japan.”
Owner Hal Steinbrenner expressed a clear desire to add Japanese talent to the Yankees roster. “Baseball is king in Japan,” Steinbrenner said. “A lot of Japanese fans here in the US would love to see a player play for the Yankees. We’ve tried and we’ll continue to try.”
Imai’s competitive mentality fits the Yankees perfectly
The Dodgers have dominated the Japanese market. They signed Shohei Ohtani. They landed Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They added Roki Sasaki. Imai wants no part of joining that group.
“I’d rather take them down,” Imai said during an interview with Japanese legend Daisuke Matsuzaka on TV Asahi’s “Hodo Station” program. “Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki. But winning against a team like that and becoming a world champion would be the most valuable thing in my life.”
Imai also revealed he prefers joining a team without a Japanese player on the roster. “If there were another Japanese player on the same team, I could just ask them about anything, right?” Imai said. “But that’s actually not what I’m looking for. I want to experience that sense of survival.”
This positions the Yankees as the front runner to land him. They have not had a Japanese player since Masahiro Tanaka left after the 2020 season.
Imai’s numbers demand attention from the Yankees
The three-time NPB All-Star finished 2025 with a 1.92 ERA across 163 2/3 innings. He struck out 178 batters while walking just 45. His 27% strikeout rate led the league. His fastball sits between 93 and 97 mph and can touch 99. His slider produced a 53% whiff rate.
“When most teams talk to me about Imai, they say, ‘Oh, my,'” Boras said at the GM meetings. “He’s that kind of guy. I think when you watch him pitch, he leaves an indelible mark on you.”
The Yankees face rotation questions heading into 2026. Gerrit Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Carlos Rodon underwent elbow surgery. Clarke Schmidt is also working back. Adding Imai would provide immediate stability for the Yankees starting staff.
Imai was posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions on Nov. 19. His 45-day negotiating window runs through Jan. 2. He is expected to arrive in the United States in early December. With the Giants stepping aside, the Yankees suddenly hold the best cards in this high-stakes poker game.
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