MLB Rumors: Chances Of Red Sox Landing Top Free Agent Receives Boost
Speculated front-runner for Tatsuya Imai apparently is out of the mix
If the Boston Red Sox are truly interested in Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, they have a better chance of landing him given the latest on the San Francisco Giants.
According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Giants appear to be pulling out of the Imai sweepstakes.
“The teams most linked to him so far have been the Padres, Rangers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Cubs,” Bowden wrote in a story published Wednesday, which ranked the top free agents represented by super-agent Scott Boras.
“At the outset of this offseason, most in the industry believed he would end up with the Giants, but the Giants have indicated that they are out on Imai and other similarly priced free agents,” Bowden wrote.
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The 27-year-old Imai was posted for Major League Baseball after a dominant run in Japan. During the 2025 season with the Saitama Seibu Lions, he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 163-plus innings pitched.
“Imai’s throwing motion gets solid downward plane, and he has tremendous late movement on his secondary pitches,” Bowden wrote. “His fastball velocity averages 99 mph with carry, his slider and splitter are both wipeout offerings and he projects as No. 2-type starter.”
The development involving the Giants should serve as good news for the Red Sox. Especially since the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers also don’t seem to be atop Imai’s list.
Attracting Japanese phenoms to the East coast tends to be a battle in itself, and if two of the best West coast teams aren’t in the mix, well, that could make things easier.
