Tatsuya Imai isn’t looking to join a superteam as he eyes a move to the MLB. He wants to challenge one. Fresh off a Sawamura Award season, the star right-hander says defeating a stacked club like the Dodgers would mean more than joining them.
Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai has spent the last few seasons establishing himself as one of Nippon Professional Baseball’s most reliable front-line pitchers. Now, as he explores a potential jump to Major League Baseball, he’s making one thing clear: he isn’t interested in simply joining a ready-made powerhouse; he wants to beat one.
During a recent appearance on “Hodo Station,” hosted by former MLB pitcher and two-time World Baseball Classic champion Daisuke Matsuzaka, Imai was asked about the possibility of playing alongside Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki in Los Angeles. Many players from NPB have expressed excitement about teaming up with Japan’s brightest stars in the majors, but Imai’s mindset stood out. Rather than fantasizing about a superteam, he admitted that the idea of competing against them is even more appealing.
Imai acknowledged that playing with Japan’s biggest names would be special. Still, he emphasized that defeating a team stacked with talent and ultimately winning a championship carries more meaning for him. His comments revealed a competitive edge that has defined his rise in Japan and now fuels his desire to test himself on baseball’s biggest stage.
The 2025 season underscored just how ready Imai may be for that leap. Fresh off winning the Sawamura Award, Japan’s equivalent of MLB’s Cy Young, the 26-year-old delivered one of his finest campaigns to date. He finished with a stellar 1.92 ERA across 24 starts, striking out 178 batters in 163 2/3 innings while walking only 45. His command, efficiency, and ability to pitch deep into games were on full display, highlighted by five complete games and three shutouts.
Imai’s consistency has been a hallmark of his career. Over eight seasons, he has earned three NPB All-Star selections and posted a sub-3.00 ERA in four consecutive years. His career mark sits at 3.15, a number that has steadily improved as he has developed into one of NPB’s most dependable starters.
As he looks ahead to the next phase of his career, Imai’s comments show he isn’t simply chasing the prestige of joining stars already dominating MLB. Instead, he’s embracing the challenge of facing them and perhaps one day standing atop the baseball world by going through the very best.