OSAKA, JAPAN – MARCH 05: Tatsuya Imai #48 of Samurai Japan pitches in the top of the sixth inning during the game between Samurai Japan and Netherlands at Kyocera Dome Osaka on March 05, 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)

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Drew VonScio

By Drew VonScio

Contributing Sports Writer

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The New York Yankees are still looking to bolster their starting rotation before spring training begins. Even though the starting pitching market is beginning to thin out, there are still a large quantity of viable options for Brian Cashman to pursue.

Starting pitchers should see their markets ramp up significantly as the new year begins, but one player must sign with a team by Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. - Tatsuya Imai. Now, the Yankees are being urged to sign him to eliminate any question marks about the depth of their rotation.

**"**To the Yankees: A mix of rotation security and upside," Andrew Simon wrote for MLB.com. "Imai is not without some risk, as is any player coming over from NPB, but as a 27-year-old with a consistently impressive track record there, he would look awfully nice slotting in behind Max Fried and protecting the Yankees in case any part of their existing rotation plan goes haywire."

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OSAKA, JAPAN - MARCH 05: Tatsuya Imai #48 of Samurai Japan pitches in the top of the sixth inning during the game between Samurai Japan and Netherlands at Kyocera Dome Osaka on March 05, 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)

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It makes a lot of sense for the Yankees to land Imai, even with the risk of coming over to the United States from Japan. He should still have a long career ahead of him at 27 years old, so New York wouldn't have to worry about a drastic falloff after a short period of time.

FanGraphs data also suggests that his statistics last season in the NPB weren't a coincidence. Imai recorded a 1.92 ERA and a 2.01 FIP, proving that his dominance is not the result of the defense behind him. He also stranded 79.% of the baserunners that reached against him, a trait that would do exceptionally well in Major League Baseball.

Imai's addition to the rotation would significantly help the depth of the rotation even when stars like Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon return from injury. Teams can never have too much starting pitching, so Imai's talents certainly wouldn't go to waste in the Bronx.

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