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MLB free agency adds intrigue as another NPB star to be posted

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Nov 10, 2025 11:01 AM ET

Major League Baseball will have a wealth of Japanese talent enter the market this offseason, with two well-known Nippon Professional Baseball stars getting posted by their respective teams.

Star third/first baseman Munetaka Murakami entered the free agent market on Friday after the Tokyo Yakult Swallows posted him, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

On Monday, another star from NPB joins Murakami on the list of Japanese free agents entering the market, with the Seibu Lions announcing that they would be posting 27-year-old right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai, per ESPN.

Imai and Murakami both have 45 days from their posting dates to sign with a team, per the agreement between MLB and NPB. The posting window runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.

Imai is coming off his best season in 2025 for the Seibu Lions, posting a 10-5 record with an ERA of 1.92 while striking out 178 batters. In eight seasons, Imai went 58-45 with a 3.15 ERA in 963.2 innings.

Tatsuya Imai will be one of the top arms on the market, but will his talents be worth the price?

MLB Trade Rumors predicted that Imai would sign a six-year $150 million contract this offseason, putting him below New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (six years $162 million) and above Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (five years $136.562 million). That's a substantial sum for a player who many scouts feel is a back-end starter or a possible swingman in the bullpen.

Seibu Lions say they are going to post star pitcher Tatsuya Imai. The righty who throws up to 99 mph should be one of the top 3 free agent pitchers, along with Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 10, 2025

Imai leads his arsenal with a four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can touch 99. Off of that, he throws a slider that has nasty north to south movement, a changeup and a splitter. According to FanGraphs, Imai “doesn’t take full advantage of his special athleticism and flexibility, and he might find another gear in MLB.”

Teams will be willing to pay a high price for Imai thanks to his compatriots, RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who have proven that the transition from NPB to MLB is no longer as wide a gap as it once was. With Imai Joining RHPs Dylan Cease and Michael King and LHPs Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, the market for starting pitching will be bountiful this offseason, meaning the starting pitcher is finally back in vogue.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. When I’m not writing, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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