A shifting free-agent market has unexpectedly pulled the White Sox into the conversation for Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai. But is it all a leverage play by Scott Boras?
Chicago White Sox fans received some unexpected, but exciting news on Tuesday morning.
No, it wasn’t another splash free-agent signing just days before the calendar flips. But it was an intriguing rumor involving one.
According to a report out of Yahoo! Japan, the White Sox have emerged alongside the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies as strong candidates to sign Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai.
A Shift in Imai’s Market
The development appears to stem from a shift in Imai’s market. Rather than strictly pursuing a long-term megadeal, Imai is now open to the idea of a shorter contract, similar in structure to the two-year deal that brought Munetaka Murakami to the South Side earlier this offseason.
Reports suggest Imai could be willing to sign a three-year contract, positioning the 27-year-old to re-enter free agency at age 30—still firmly in his prime and potentially in line for a much larger payday after establishing himself at the MLB level.
For White Sox fans, the appeal is obvious. The Murakami signing sent a message to baseball, and it taught everyone in the organization a lesson. It showed ownership and the front office how much goodwill can be generated by investing in on-field talent, and it may have opened the eyes of Japanese stars to the possibility of Chicago as a destination. Historically, that’s a pipeline the White Sox have failed to tap into.
So how legitimate is this rumor? And how serious could the White Sox actually be?
On paper, the fit makes sense. The White Sox have no financial commitments beyond the 2027 season, and they remain near the bottom of the league in projected payroll for 2026. That flexibility gives them the ability to absorb risk—particularly on shorter-term deals.
And while Imai would not come without risk, that risk profile is very different from Murakami’s.
Imai’s Breakout and the Questions That Follow
Imai is coming off the best season of his career in 2025. He posted a 1.92 ERA, paired with a 27.8% strikeout rate and a 7.0% walk rate, all career bests. Those numbers have drawn heavy interest from MLB teams—but also skepticism. The central questions remain: how well does that dominance translate against the best hitters in the world? And is a career year with such significant improvement sustainable?
There is little doubt that Imai can succeed in Major League Baseball. The uncertainty lies in whether he is truly a front-line starter worthy of a contract north of $100 million—possibly even approaching $150 million. That’s a debate teams across the league are still having.
A major reason for Imai’s breakout can be traced to a mechanical adjustment. In 2025, he lowered his arm angle from roughly 33 degrees to 25 degrees, adding more run to his fastball and making it far more effective within the strike zone. The change led to more missed bats. Strike throwing also boosted overall results.
The numbers are shocking. On Imai's pitches thrown inside the strike zone, opposing hitters saw their swinging-strike rate jump from 3.0% in 2024 to 10.5% in 2025.
That improvement is real—but it also introduces volatility. Mechanical tweaks can be difficult to sustain, especially when facing MLB lineups night after night. Hence the aforementioned risk and the slow developing market. Still, this is exactly the type of calculated risk the White Sox are positioned to take, particularly if the term is limited.
Several "interested" teams have hesitated to make formal long-term offers, which has pushed Imai and his agent, Scott Boras, to explore shorter deals that allow Imai to establish his value stateside before returning to the open market.
The Leverage Play
In that sense, the White Sox are perfect leverage.
After the baseball world was stunned by the White Sox swooping in to sign Murakami on a two-year, $34 million deal—after his market was once projected north of $100 million—this rumor isn’t far-fetched.
If you’re the Yankees, Phillies, or even the crosstown Chicago Cubs, the threat of being beaten to the punch by a rebuilding White Sox team could be enough to force a more aggressive, long-term offer—precisely the outcome Boras is seeking.
Personally, I believe the White Sox’ involvement may be somewhat overstated. If Imai ultimately secures a deal north of $100 million, or something approaching $150 million, the White Sox won't be the final bidder. And odds are, someone will eventually pay that sticker price.
But this is a classic Scott Boras leverage play. The clock is ticking, with Imai’s posting window closing Friday, and pressure is mounting for teams to put their best offer on the table.
Where Things Stand Now
If the market settles into a short-term framework, the White Sox remain a logical fit for all the same reasons they were with Murakami—a low-pressure environment, financial flexibility to pay him a higher AAV in the short term, and the chance to grow alongside a young pitching core.
If the bidding escalates into four-, five-, or six-year commitments, Chicago is almost certainly on the outside looking in.
Imai is expected to arrive in the United States this week to meet with finalist teams. While he initially hoped to meet with every interested club, Boras advised him to narrow the field to a select group.
Reports indicate three to four teams—all of whom have likely submitted formal offers—will meet with Imai in person. If the White Sox are legitimately in the mix with an official three-year proposal, it’s possible they’re among that group.
Chris Getz wasted no time getting an offer in to Murakami's representative after he learned that short-term deals were on the table.
The Murakami signing has been well received in Japan and reflects positively on the White Sox as an organization. And while this may ultimately prove to just be a leverage play, it’s impossible to rule Chicago out entirely until the market—and the contract structure—becomes clear.