Surprise report thrusts White Sox in the running for another Japanese star

The White Sox have already shocked the world once this offseason, why not do it again? The White Sox made headlines before the holidays when they landed Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami on a two-year, $34 million contract. Originally projected to land a nine-figure contract, Murakami’s market became quieter-than-expected as teams raised concern about his strikeouts and defense translating to the big league level. The White Sox took advantage of the opportunity to involve themselves in the Japanese market for the first time in twenty years and landed Murakami. With a signing deadline of Friday, January 2nd, right-hander Tatsuya Imai will likely be the next Japanese superstar to make the move stateside, and the White Sox could be a fit. 

According to a report from Yahoo Japan, the White Sox are a “leading candidate” to land Imai, and the sides have been discussing a three-year deal. Originally projected to earn a nine-figure deal, Imai’s market has been quiet, with the pitcher even saying earlier this week that he has yet to receive a formal offer. Many have speculated the New York Yankees might be involved, but Jack Curry of YES Network threw cold water on these reports in recent weeks, saying he doesn’t believe the connection is there. Imai is reportedly in the United States meeting with teams and will likely be making a decision within the next couple days. 

Tatsuya Imai to the White Sox could make sense for both sides

For the White Sox, the fit makes a ton of sense. Imai is a 27 year-old starting pitcher with a track record of recent dominance in the NPB. In 2025, he posted a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts in 24 starts for the Saitama Seibu Lions. Imai has a typical fastball, slider, changeup arsenal and occasionally dabbles with a splitter and a curve. In terms of pitch velocity and movement, MLB.com’s David Adler mentions Mariners righty Luis Castillo as Imai’s closest comparison. He’s very fastball/slider heavy, but the White Sox propensity for developing changeups could help develop his third pitch and give him a third elite weapon. The White Sox have been searching for another pitcher to round out their rotation, and there likely isn’t one available with more upside in their price range than Imai. If he’s interested in the White Sox, it’s a no brainer pursuit. 

For Imai, it could be a similar opportunity to Murakami. Despite reports of a hefty price tag, he may not land the long-term, big-money contract he was looking for. Signing a short-term deal to come to a team with no pressure and an opportunity for 30 starts could make a ton of sense. Imai could take two to three years to develop in the major leagues and hit free agency again at 29 or 30 in time to cash in. He’d still be young enough to land a large multi-year contract. 

The White Sox may face steeper competition for Imai than they did with Murakami, with the Yankees, Phillies, and Cubs among those reported to be involved. Imai is also represented by Scott Boras, a notorious hard-negotiator who doesn’t have a ton of history with the White Sox. If I were to bet,  I’d still bet against the White Sox landing Imai. But I said the same about Murakami, and Chris Getz has continued to prove that these aren’t the same old White Sox. 

It won’t be long before we have the answer. The improbable happened once, so who says it can’t happen again?