Star NPB pitcher viewed as a perfect fit for the SF Giants 

Over the weekend, Mark Feinsand of MLB.Com highlighted a perfect fit in free agency for each team. For the SF Giants, he listed star NPB pitcher Tatsuya Imai as the perfect fit.

Star NPB pitcher viewed as a perfect fit for the SF Giants

Imai has often been speculated as a fit for the Giants this offseason. That said, Buster Olney of ESPN recently poured cold water on that idea, suggesting that they are focusing more on modestly-priced pitchers. 

That would seemingly rule out Imai. Olney's quote likely has some truth to it, but it bears mentioning that the Giants need more than one starting pitcher. Thomas Nestico of TJ Stats recently highlighted that point by ranking each rotation in baseball by projected fWAR in 2026.

The Giants are in the bottom-third of that category with 9.7 fWAR. I am a firm believer that projections are a great tool, but the games still need to be played.

There is a way to consume and interpret projections while recognizing that it is an imperfect model. Front offices use internally-developed projections to identify roster needs and strengths. 

There is a good chance that the public projections do not differ all that much from those internally used by front offices. They likely convey a similar message, even if the means by which they get there differ.

For the Giants, that message is clear. They need starting pitching. A lot of starting pitching.

They are likely targeting a few different areas of the market, including the modestly-priced pitchers. That market tends to move quickly, as teams view them as an opportunity to find a good value deal. 

Tatsuya Imai’s market may not move as quickly. This is due to the 45-day posting window that was opened in November and runs through January 2, 2026.

Talks should begin to pick up during the winter meetings. However, Scott Boras is Imai’s agent, and he is known for leveraging any level he can pull. This is why he does a lot of his negotiating through the media. It is to creative a narrative about a player’s market.

The goal for Boras is to maximize Imai's payday. Imai has the competitive fire that the Giants need, even going so far as saying that he would prefer to take down a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mark Feinsand indicates that he would be an excellent fit in the Giants' rotation, alongside Logan Webb and Robbie Ray.