There are but a few days left in the negotiations to bring Tatsuya Imai stateside through the posting process. His camp has claimed that he has yet to receive a firm offer from anyone, but deadline spur
action and his deadline will definitely draw the suitors closer. The Phillies are rumored to be involved in these negotiations as they continue to dabble in the Japanese market to try and make a splash. Imai would definitely count as one of those splashes, but there remains something of a question.
Where does he best fit with the Phillies? On paper, they don’t really have an opening in their starting rotation if one were to assume that Andrew Painter is anointed as a member of said rotation. However, his performance in 2025 would pump the brakes rather hard on that appointment since he didn’t really perform up to expectations last season. That would possibly give Imai a heads up on that final rotation spot, but with him, there are reports that his command isn’t exactly the greatest. Were he to struggle as a starter though, they do still have a need in the bullpen, where his stuff would definitely be needed, as well as it playing up in shorter bursts.
Would Imai want to join a team that would possibly ship him to the bullpen quickly, or would he want to go somewhere where a longer leash as a starter would be in place? It might end up being a million dollar question.
