Add another intriguing name to the list of high-end starting pitchers who will be available this offseason as the Mets seek to fortify their rotation.
Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, 27, will be posted by the Seibu Lions, and his posting paves the way for him to ink a deal with an MLB club in December.
Imai is coming off a huge season for the Lions.
In 163.2 innings over 24 starts, the right-hander had a 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP while allowing just 101 hits and striking out 178 — a strikeout rate of 9.8 per nine.
Over eight seasons pitching for Nippon Professional Baseball, Imai has a 3.15 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. But he has reached another level over the last four seasons, posting earned run averages of 2.04, 2.45, 2.34, and 1.92.
Imai's stuff is considered plus. It includes a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can reach 99 mph. He also has a splitter, slider, and cutter.
While he isn't viewed by evaluators as the kind of can't-miss ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto has become since making the transition from Japan to the majors, Imai is nevertheless expected to get a relatively massive payday.
While the Mets have the prospect quality and depth to secure a top-of-the-rotation starter this offseason via trade, it's possible they'll also look to the free agent market for impact.
Imai will be the crown jewel when it comes to pitchers coming from Japan. As far as the MLB free agents, they include Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Ranger Suarez, and Michael King.
Of those four pitchers, Cease — a 29-year-old with swing-and-miss stuff who eats innings — could be the best fit.
As New York decides which way to go this offseason as the rotation is bolstered, it's fair to believe they have three pitchers penciled into their rotation at the moment — Sean Manaea, Nolan McLean, and Clay Holmes.
Other options include Kodai Senga (who could be a trade candidate), David Peterson (entering his final season of arbitration), Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong.
