May 5, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; The Baltimore Orioles logo on the sleeve of designated hitter Gunnar Henderson (2) as he prepares on deck during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Orioles deemed a fit for All-Star Japanese pitcher

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 8:00 AM ET

While Japan's top baseball players have come to MLB and excelled for decades now, there has never been more of a spotlight on Japanese players than right now, given what three of them are doing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 World Series.

Shohei Ohtani needs no introduction, as he's arguably already the greatest baseball player of all time. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will receive 2025 NL Cy Young votes and threw his second consecutive complete game during Game 2 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. And Roki Sasaki has emerged as the Dodgers' most important asset out of the bullpen at the end of this season.

While it feels like the Dodgers have a monopoly on Japanese players coming over from the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, the good news is that several more players will be posted by their NPB teams this offseason and should be ready to make an immediate impact on big league clubs in 2026.

And the Baltimore Orioles might already have their eyes on one such player.

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Baltimore Orioles Called a Fit for Tatsuya Imai

In an October 27 article, Jim Bowden of The Athletic listed the Orioles as one of seven 'best team fits" for 27-year-old Japanese hurler Tatsuya Imai.

Imai is a two-time NPB All-Star who has produced a 10-5 record with a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 163.2 innings pitched with his NPB team this season. While his small frame (he's listed at 5'11", 154 pounds) might raise some alarms, the success that the aforementioned Yoshinobu Yamamoto (who is listed at 5'10", 176 pounds) has had should quell any concerns about whether his success can translate to the major leagues.

Imai would make a lot of sense for the Orioles because they're looking for a top-tier starter to pair with Trevor Rogers. Bowden predicted that he would sign a 7-year, $154 million deal, which should be within the Orioles' price range and would come out looking like a bargain if Imai can come close to replicating the numbers he has produced overseas.

What's more, if the Orioles decide to bring Tomoyuki Sugano back in free agency this winter, he could act as a mentor for Imai. And even if not, Sugano's time in Baltimore could show Imai that he can excel with the franchise.

Tatsuya Imai gets out of the bases loaded pinch with back-to-back Ks

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— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) September 18, 2025