On the 10th, Seibu Lions announced that they have approved pitcher Tatsuya Imai (27) to transfer to the majors this offseason via the posting system. He is the second player from the team to do so, following pitcher Mitsunari Takahashi (28). Imai is highly regarded in the United States, and the total value of his contract is expected to exceed 20 billion yen. Following the announcement, American media outlets responded one after another. F. Romero, a reporter with the baseball Writers' Association of America, posted, "According to sources, the Yankees are among the leading candidates. His agent will be S. Boras." Once the paperwork is officially submitted, the bidding war will begin.
It seems that a combination of factors led to the decision to allow Imai to leave. According to the team, Imai had been expressing a strong desire to move to the majors. He was 27 years old and in the prime of his career. It's best to be young when you're going overseas. However, it's obviously a blow to their fighting force.
Meanwhile, next offseason, the MLB labor-management agreement between owners and the players' union will expire. Given the possibility that transfer negotiations themselves could be frozen, Hiroike, the team's general manager, explained, "It's not that we're not even considering it." There was a "risk" in waiting another year. If they waited until the year after next, Imai would likely acquire overseas free agent rights, and the team would not receive any transfer fees. In the majors, younger players tend to be more likely to sign big contracts, even if they're only one year younger. The fact that Seibu would receive a transfer fee of nearly 3.3 billion yen this year likely influenced the "decision to accept" the deal.
Meanwhile, Takahashi was also approved on the 5th, and it would be the first time in NPB history that two players from the same team would be transferred to the majors via posting in the same year. It will not be easy for the two to fill the gap of 18 wins and over 300 inning innings pitched this season. The general manager said, "We want to get everything in order and head into spring. We want to think about improving not only pitcher but our overall strength as well," hinting at strengthening the team to bounce back from fifth place. (Seibu correspondent, Onaka Ayami)
Related News
・ [Seibu] Tatsuya Imai to challenge the majors "I decided that now is the time" - the club approves the use of the posting system, becoming the second player this offseason after Mitsunari Takahashi
・ [Seibu] Tatsuya Imai decides to challenge the majors. "I will repay my debt by playing at the forefront. I will work harder than ever before."
・ [Seibu] Tatsuya Imai says, "It's a difficult decision for someone in charge of strengthening the team."
・ [Seibu] Fourth-round draft pick, Tohoku Fukushi University's Keita Horikoshi, informally accepts the offer to join the team. "I hope to become someone that people look up to," says Seibu fan from Hanno City, Saitama.
・ [Seibu] Tatsuya Imai is considering a shot at the majors through posting... He will discuss with the team after the season
