{"id":119347,"date":"2025-11-12T08:14:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T08:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=119347"},"modified":"2025-11-12T08:16:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T08:16:09","slug":"%f0%9f%94%a5mets-bombshell-target-the-team-is-reportedly-eyeing-a-jaw-dropping-110-million-deal-for-a-1-92-era-japanese-ace-whispers-say-his-signing-could-shake-the-league-pressure-is-mounting-beh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=119347","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd25METS BOMBSHELL TARGET: The team is reportedly eyeing a jaw-dropping $110 million deal for a 1.92 ERA Japanese ace, whispers say his signing could shake the league, pressure is mounting behind closed doors, and one move could rewrite the Mets\u2019 entire future\u2026ll"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2177661255-e1761930340933.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2177661255-e1761930340933.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2177661255-e1761930340933.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2177661255-e1761930340933.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Mets Urged to Sign 1.92 ERA Starter from Japan to $110 Million Deal\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" \/><\/figure>\n<div>\n<p>Getty<\/p>\n<p>New York Mets owner Steve Cohen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Several players from overseas (KBO, NPB) have been posted by their respective leagues to come over to MLB. The Los Angeles Dodgers have set the framework for signing Japanese and Korean players over the years, but teams like the New York Mets would certainly like to get in on the action.<\/p>\n<p>With the recent news of starter Tatsuya Imai likely to be posted to MLB, the consensus is that Imai is one of the top-10 starters on the free agency market this season. In a recent prediction, it\u2019s the Mets that sign the 1.92 ERA ace to a long-term deal.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Mets Linked to Tatsuya Imai in Free Agency<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s important to note that players who transition from NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) to MLB come with a posting fee if they have less than nine years of professional experience. That narrows down the potential suitors for Tatsuya Imai to pretty much just the high spenders in baseball.<\/p>\n<p>In a recent predictions piece by Bleacher Report\u2019s Kerry Miller, it is the Mets that open up the checkbook and sign Imai to a five-year, $110 million deal:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA nine-figure deal (before even factoring in the posting fee) is definitely on the table, though, as Imai is easily one of the six most coveted arms available this winter, possibly even the No. 1 target atop a number of big boards.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"id\/article\/slide\/5287092\/element\/8\">\n<p><em>\u201cPrediction: Five years, $110M with New York Mets\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>For those unaware about the NPB, it does typically favor pitching, but Imai\u2019s numbers are still incredible. In 2025, with the Seibu Lions, Tatsuya Imai posted a 1.92 ERA over 163.2 innings, and a 9.8 K\/9. MLB is a different breed, but Imai seems to be up for the task.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Why the Mets Should Sign Tatsuya Imai?<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_5583562\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2177661255-e1762197546288.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" alt=\"Mets Urged to Sign 1.92 ERA Starter from Japan to $110 Million Deal\" width=\"782\" height=\"441\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5583562\" data-lazy-load=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5583562\">GettyMets named as best fit for star outfielder<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Like many Japanese starters that have come into MLB, Imai \u2018s arsenal features a strong 95+ MPH fastball and wipeout Splitter. He\u2019s also known for his funky sliders, which actually move inside to right-handed batters instead of away from them (similar to Roki Sasaki).<\/p>\n<p>The Mets should sign Tatsuya Imai due to his deep pitch mix, strong velocity, and established success in NPB. However, MLB offers much better offensive firepower, which Imai has not experienced.<\/p>\n<p>For New York, though, they had a disappointing 2025 season after having MLB\u2019s highest payroll, and owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations, David Stearn, are certainly eager to make amends with the fan base this offseason by making big signings like this.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The New York Mets are being urged and predicted to make a run at this Japanese starter that was recently posted to MLB.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":119355,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>\ud83d\udd25METS BOMBSHELL TARGET: The team is reportedly eyeing a jaw-dropping $110 million deal for a 1.92 ERA Japanese ace, whispers say his signing could shake the league, pressure is mounting behind closed doors, and one move could rewrite the Mets\u2019 entire future\u2026ll - 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