Why Cubs Could Pass On MLB’s Next Japanese Superstar

And the third player is Roki Sasaki, who was arguably the most sought-after free agent aside from Juan Soto last offseason. While the 23-year-old pitcher had an up-and-down regular season for Los Angeles, Sasaki emerged as the team's most reliable reliever in the postseason and was key to them capturing a second straight World Series.

While it feels like the Dodgers have a monopoly on baseball's best Japanese players, the reality is that multiple teams have standout Japanese players, including the Cubs with Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki.

Several elite Japanese players should become available for MLB teams to sign this winter. And all of them could potentially be on the Cubs' radar.

Why Cubs Might Ditch Pursuit of Kazuma Okamoto

29-year-old infielder Kazuma Okamoto is one of three Japanese players (along with Munetaka Murakami and Tatsuya Imai) who are expected to make an immediate impact for whichever teams secure them in 2026.

Some analysts and fans have believed that Okamoto (who plays both third and first base) would be a great fit for the Cubs. However, The Athletic MLB writers Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma explained why they don't think this is the case in a November 2 article.

Simply put, these writers don't see the Cubs' front office giving Okamoto the money other teams will be willing to, given that he's a 29-year-old corner infielder.

And history would suggest this stance is correct. The Cubs have been notoriously picky about who they give big contracts to, and their not being interested in New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (who was a free agent last season when he was 29 years old), despite Alonso already having proved himself as one of baseball's best power hitters, suggests they'd feel the same way about Okamoto.

Instead, the Cubs might be more inclined to pursue 27-year-old pitcher Tatsuya Imai if they want to try to snag Japan's next MLB star in free agency.