Chicago Cubs named best fit for Nippon Professional Baseball star Tatsuya Imai over the New York Yankees

The Cubs have made it clear that acquiring starting pitching is a key part of their offseason plans. They are looking for a top-of-the-line starter to bolster their rotation, especially after injuries to crucial pitchers like Justin Steele and expected to return in the middle of the next season creating a gap in their lineup.

CBS Sports prediction showed the Cubs as a logical fit for Imai, stating, "The usual big spenders have been connected publicly, but the Yankees and Cubs probably make the most sense. We'll go with the Cubs." CBS referred to Imai's "quality arsenal," highlighting his "mid-90s fastball" and "wrong-way slider," and framed the signing as a solution to Chicago's quest for rotation consistency.

Tatsuya Imai’s decision between the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs is a Coin Flip

The New York Yankees are also rumored to be interested in Imai. It's been pointed out that their interest is due to their pitching requirements, but he ended up choosing the Cubs in a 'coin flip' situation. Reports suggest that the Yankees are keeping an eye on international pitchers like Imai as they look to strengthen their rotation after bringing Max Fried on board earlier this offseason.

The Yankees are still on the lookout for more starting pitchers, keeping an eye on NPB players like Tatsuya Imai. Recently, no other teams have been highlighted as leading contenders.

Chicago Cubs add Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea but continue searching for more rotation stability

The Cubs have been all about picking up pitchers this offseason. They inked Matthew Boyd to a two-year contract and made a trade for Colin Rea, looking to solidify their rotation. Chicago brought in Boyd and Rea, but word is they're still on the hunt, eyeing some promising arms like Imai.


This situation is happening in a sluggish free agent market. A lot of the top free agents are still without contracts as spring training is just around the corner in about seven weeks. This scenario opens up chances for teams such as the Cubs to focus on international players like Imai while they wait for local free agents to make their moves.

The hold-up in the pitching market has turned the spotlight on NPB postings, and Imai is coming up as a budget-friendly choice.

Potential impact on the Chicago Cubs' 2026 season

If the Cubs manage to get Imai, he might fit right into their rotation with Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and a few others. Predictions indicate that Imai could deliver around 140 innings with a 4.12 ERA in MLB, taking into account his NPB stats and the necessary adjustments for the differences in leagues. According to the site's Steamer system, he is expected to be a valuable asset for a team in contention.

A possible Cubs rotation without Imai features Imanaga, Horton, Taillon, Boyd, and either Rea or Assad, while Steele is set to come back later.

Sharma mentioned that bringing in Imai would relieve some of the pressure on the pitching staff throughout the lengthy season.

Imai's posting window wraps up on January 2, 2026, according to MLB.com. Negotiations can keep going until that date. An update from MLB Trade Rumors mentioned that there hasn't been any agreement yet, but the Cubs are seen as the frontrunners in the projections. If Chicago doesn't land him, other pitchers might start to get more attention.

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