2 weeks ago
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A new Japanese baseball superstar is heading to the major leagues to follow in the footsteps of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it has been revealed.
Tatsuya Imai is the latest pitching sensation set to arrive in America, after his club - the Seibu Lions - said on Monday it had begun the process of making him available, a process called 'posting'.
Imai, 27, had a record of 10-5 this season with an ERA of 1.92. The right-hander has a powerful fastball and has played his entire career in Japan.
Under the agreement with Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, the posting period for a player runs from November 1 until December 15, putting American teams on red alert in their bid to get him.
Players have 45 days following the posting to reach an agreement with an MLB team.
There are, of course, likely to be multiple teams making contact with the pitcher, but one MLB insider is already linking him with the New York Yankees.
Tatsuya Imai pitches during a game for Samurai Japan in Osaka earlier this year
Imai, pictured in December 2016, has played his entire career so far for the Seibu Lions
Francys Romero reported the news of his posting, adding: 'The Yankees are expected to be among the favorites to land Imai, according to sources.'
Imai is also not the only Japanese player heading to MLB this winter, with Munetaka Murakami also making the trip.
Labeled 'the Japanese Babe Ruth', the slugger plays for Yakult Swallows and is only 25 years old.
It is expected that multiple teams will be trying to follow the Dodgers' successful path with Yamamoto, their now two-time World Series champion, signed straight out of Japan in 2023.
The former Orix Buffaloes pitcher commanded a 12-year, $325 million contract at the end of the 2023 season but has helped take the team to the very top already.
