The White Sox briefly emerged as a contender for Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai as his market softened, but he just agreed to a contract with the Houston Astros.
Chicago White Sox fans never anticipated being in the sweepstakes for Japanese right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai to begin with.
Imai entered the offseason as one of the premier arms on the international market — a top-of-the-rotation talent expected to command a long-term deal from a contending club.
Or so we thought.
As the offseason progressed and Imai’s signing deadline drew closer, his market began to cool. The industry started to sense a familiar trend, one that mirrored what happened with Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami just before Christmas.
Teams appeared hesitant to commit long term. And as the years on the deals came down, the possibility of the White Sox entering the conversation became increasingly realistic.
That’s exactly how things unfolded with Murakami. Chicago swooped in with a two-year, $34 million contract, offering a soft landing spot — a chance to adjust to MLB pitching, establish value stateside, grow with a young core, and reset his market.
Earlier this week, a report out of Japan suggested the White Sox were interested in attempting a similar approach with Imai. And that they were emerging as contenders to sign him.
It made sense. The White Sox have been open about wanting to add another starting pitcher, and few available arms carried Imai’s upside. Inevitably, Sox fans allowed themselves to dream.
But with roughly one day remaining before his official signing deadline, Imai agreed to a three-year deal with the Houston Astros that includes an opt-out after each season — about as player-friendly a contract as exists in modern baseball.
The most likely scenario is that Chicago was involved once the contract length dipped to three years or fewer. However, the White Sox may not have been willing to match Houston’s annual salary — or to offer yearly opt-outs that effectively allow Imai to cash in and re-enter free agency after just one season.
That structure gives Imai maximum leverage. He can take the money, perform well, and hit the market again after 2026.
Is it disappointing? Sure.
White Sox fans have spent the last few weeks riding a rare high, with the organization suddenly feeling like a central part of baseball’s news cycle — a position it hasn’t occupied often in recent years.
But this was a dose of reality that always felt inevitable.
The White Sox are still emerging from a rebuild. That profile is appealing to some players, but not all — particularly veterans seeking immediate contention. While Chicago proved to be an ideal fit for Murakami, it was not the same for Imai, who preferred joining a contender capable of challenging the Los Angeles Dodgers and was not prioritizing playing alongside a fellow Japanese star.
Now, it’s back to the drawing board.
The White Sox will continue searching for the final piece to round out their 2026 rotation — armed with momentum, but reminded that the climb back to relevance is still a work in progress.