A lot of important details are emerging about different players as the winter GM meetings approach, and that’s definitely the cases for Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai. One of those details is about his connection to Los Angeles Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi that dates back to their time as teammates in Japan, according to Ken Roshenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic.
The two were together when they both pitched for the Saitama Seibu Lions, and Imai reportedly studied and learned from Kikuchi. This is the sort of connection that gives teams like the Angels a chance when pitchers like Imai hit the free agent market, especially since Kikuchi is still going strong in his early 30s.
A lot of this depends on how Kikuchi feels about new manager Kurt Suzuki, who represents yet another possible Asian connection for Imai. Imai would also have a chance to work with new Angels pitching coach Mike Maddux, which would give the pitcher a leg up in adjusting to MLB.
Imai is being coy about all this at the moment, which isn’t surprising at all. He’s playing the field, and the pitcher has even playfully said he’d rather beat the Los Angeles Dodgers than join them, a remark that was directed at big-market teams in the AL and NL East who might have an interest in Imai.
But Imai also has a lot going for him, and he’s certainly not shy about being confident. He’s just 27, so he’s right in his prime, and Imai offers upper-90s velocity, according to Rosenthal and Mooney.
Imai works off his slider as his primary breaking pitch, and his track record in Japan includes a 1.92 ERA, an 0.892 WHIP and 178 strikeouts in 163-2/3 innings this year. He’s a little small by US/MLB standings, but that hasn’t kept him from carrying a significant workload.
The key factor to watch with Imai is what cities he decides to visit going forward. He’ll meet with certain teams, either before or after the winter meetings, which are being held in Orlando, Fla. If his itinerary includes a trip to LA that includes visits with both the Dodgers and Angels, there’s reason to get excited.
The clock on Imai will start ticking in earnest after the meetings. He’s already posted, and there’s been plenty of rumor-mill churn about him, and MLB teams will have until Jan. 2 to make a deal with him.