Padres should zero in on pitcher already drawing Yamamoto comparisons on MLB market

As San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller addresses the rotation this offseason, he’ll be staring at a healthy number of proven, frontline MLB starters in free agency. Names like Ranger Suárez, Shota Imanaga, and Framber Valdez immediately come to mind. But perhaps Preller’s best bet is to think slightly outside the MLB box and prioritize a hot pursuit of NPB star Tatsuya Imai.

The Padres already have an ace in place in the form of 32-year-old Nick Pivetta, who finished sixth in National League Cy Young voting for the 2025 season. Additionally, while San Diego and Dylan Cease are likely headed their separate ways, Preller still has a shot to re-sign Michael King, whose market value isn’t exorbitant.

In other words, the Padres already have the makings of a good rotation. They don’t need to be chasing a savior this winter. Aiming a tad lower — i.e., for a dynamite middle-of-the-rotation arm — would give Preller the upper hand in bidding wars for pitchers of that caliber, the most coveted of which might just be Imai.

The Padres should initiate an all-out pursuit of Tatsuya Imai

Eschewing the crowded race for the biggest fish on the starting pitcher market in favor of Imai makes a ton of sense for the Padres. They'd be in grave danger of being outbid by the Dodgers, Red Sox, and Yankees of the world if they were to direct all of their attention towards a Suárez or Valdez, anyway. Preller isn’t working with unlimited financial flexibility. It’s smarter to aim slightly lower and win the battles he can win. 

Signing Imai is one of those battles. He's a perfect fit for San Diego's rotation. All of the ingredients are there. Preller has already expressed a keen interest in him, considering he's been to Japan to watch Imai in person. Furthermore, there's fan interest in place. Padres supporters are already getting their hopes up for Imai, indicating that he’d be beloved in San Diego. Recent intel from the GM Meetings in Vegas suggests that the Padres will be among the leaders in the Imai sweepstakes. The writing's on the wall.

Moreover, San Diego already has an NPB vet on the roster in Yu Darvish, who would be able to ease Imai’s transition to MLB. And let’s not forget about the baseball part in all of this. Imai has the type of gifts (a 99 MPH fastball, for one) to significantly enhance San Diego’s rotation and help the Padres apply pressure on the defending champions in the National League West. 

Preller isn’t going to be able to outspend the Dodgers. What he can do is ensure that every move he makes is tailored precisely to the needs of San Diego’s current roster. The Padres can't snatch away the NL West crown by force, but they can do so with savvy.

Imai feels like exactly the kind of acquisition that falls into that category. He’s still young enough (27) to improve within San Diego’s program and become a fixture of their success for the rest of the 2020s. If everything were to click for Imai in San Diego, what Preller pays to acquire him could end up looking like a bargain in the years to come. Go get him.