Cubs insider signals hesitation amid Tatsuya Imai interest

Set to make his much-anticipated move to the major leagues after eight seasons with the Saitama Seibu Lions of the NPB, Tatsuya Imai is one of the most sought-after starting pitchers on the free agent market this winter.

So far, the three-time NPB All-Star has been linked with a number of big-market franchises, and recent reports have also added the Chicago Cubs to the pack.

For the Cubs, adding a starter to the roster makes plenty of sense, and with compatriots like Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga already plying their trade at Wrigley Field, the transition should be relatively smooth for Tatsuya Imai.

However, The Athletic's Patrick Mooney still has his doubts on Imai's role, ability and fit for the team. He voiced his concerns on Friday's episode of "North Side Territory."

"We've gotten some mixed signals on (Tatsuya) Imai," Mooney said (Timestamp: 11:06). I know it's alluring. The Cubs have a good track record in Japan. Japanese pitchers have had a ton of success coming over here. I just think there's sort of some uncertainty, a lack of clarity, around (whether) this guy's more of an ace, or is he more of a back-of-the-rotation starter? He's probably somewhere in the middle. "How do you price that? He's got age going for him. He's got velo that can touch the upper 90s. The Cubs have an infrastructure and a support system to help Japanese players succeed. So I get why they've been linked. I'm just curious, how is his market going to develop in terms of other suitors, and whether or not the Cubs feel like fully committed and convicted here, to make what could be a rather large investment."

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The Cubs may be frontrunners for Tatsuya Imai after Yankees manager's latest comments

After Tatsuya Imai sensationally claimed he would rather "take the Dodgers down" than join Shohei Ohtani and company in Southern California, the New York Yankees were considered to be leading the race for Imai's signature.

However, as The Athletic's Chris Kirschner reported via X on Friday, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone has revealed the organization has not yet met with Imai.

"Aaron Boone said the Yankees have not met with Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai. He said he didn’t know if they will," Kirschner posted.

This could mean that the Chicago Cubs are frontrunners for Tatsuya Imai's acquisition. Per sources, Imai is projected to secure a contract in the range of $135 million.

Edited by Raghav Mehta