Four reasons why the White Sox did not sign Tatsuya Imai

It turns out signing Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami was the exception, and not a permanent change of the unwritten rule stating that the Chicago White Sox never win free-agent sweepstakes.

General manager Chris Getz reportedly tried to sign another Japanese free agent, but this time he came up short. There was some brief excitement that Getz could pull off another free-agent coup when reports from Yahoo Japan came out that the White Sox were emerging as a strong contender to sign Seibu Lions pitching ace, Tatsuya Imai.

Imai instead ended up signing with the Houston Astros for three years, with opt-outs after each season of the deal. Imai can earn up to $63 million over the life of the contract, with $18 million is guaranteed for this season plus a chance to earn an additional $3 million in incentives. It is the second-highest annual average value for a Japanese free agent.

Imai reportedly was offered the years he wanted, but not at the AAV he was seeking. His agent, Scott Boras, shifted gears toward securing a shorter deal to get Imai back on the market if he proves he can make an effective transition toward getting big-league hitters out.

Teams were hesitant to hand Imai a massive contract because his skills may translate to only being a fifth starter or a long reliever in MLB. However, his ceiling is potentially just a step lower than fellow countryman and World Series MVP, Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

A premier talent being available on a team-friendly contract is one reason it was believed the White Sox entered the sweepstakes.

There are four reasons why the Pale Hose came up short.

Ownership did not want to increase payroll
You would think Chicago could beat Houston’s deal, considering the utter lack of payroll commitments.

The White Sox have just $87 million committed in payroll for 2026 per FanGraphs’ RosterResource, which ranks 27th in baseball. Chicago is projected to be $143 million under the luxury tax threshold per Spotrac.

However, owner Jerry Reinsdorf had to be influenced by the business operations into signing Murakami. Adding another $18 million to the payroll might have been a bridge too far.

If Jerry is unwilling to add to the payroll, then 2029 cannot come soon enough, as that is when billionaire Justin Ishbia can purchase controlling interest of the White Sox. Jerry claims he has taken some financial losses over the years; he might not have wanted to take another massive loss in 2026.

However, adding another Japanese star would have been a good business deal. It would have continued to open up the Japanese market, not only for the talent pipeline, but also giving the White Sox greater exposure in a baseball-crazed country.

But taking a low-cost risk on one Japanese superstar is all the owner is willing to take.

The White Sox did not want to include opt-outs
I would not blame Getz if he balked at including any opt-outs in a potential deal. The White Sox are not at the point to add Imai as a “rental.”

It made sense for Getz to get in on Imai when Boras wanted a shorter deal. It would allow the team to add a premier talent on team-friendly terms. Also, it would have provided the club with a quick exit ramp if Imai busts. However, Getz should also want to have club control for longer than a year in case Imai works out.

The hope is that 2027 is when this club is back to being competitive, and control of Imai at least through that season could have helped the White Sox push for a wild card in 2027.

Presuming Jerry would not authorize a long-term extension to keep Imai if he proves he is a legit big-league starter, having that club control would induce a better trade return for Imai rather than having him on a rental deal at the July trade deadline.

Because Imai is 27, it makes sense for the front office to think he could be a core player. He is coming off of a 1.92 ERA season in the NPB. He can deploy six pitches to get hitters out. That is why I could see the White Sox pursuing a two-year deal with a club option, or a three-year deal.

This would create a conflict with Boras, as he wanted to get his client back on the market as soon as possible.

Boras was more comfortable with having Imai start his MLB career in Houston
The Athletic’s Chandler Rome explained that Boras liked how Houston treated pitcher Yusei Kikuchi over the final months of the 2024 season.

Kikuchi posted a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts for the Astros after they acquired him from Toronto at the trade deadline. Kikuchi had a 4.75 ERA in 22 starts for the Blue Jays before the deal. Turning things around in Houston allowed Kikuchi to secure a three-year, $63 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels this offseason.

Imai wanted to join a contender
Imai wanted to come to the majors to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, not join them. I always took that as wanting to take down the Dodgers in the playoffs, and not some random series in July.

While he did join an American League team that missed the playoffs, the Astros nearly extended their postseason streak before falling short of a wild-card spot. The Astros still have the talent to win the AL West and make a run to set up a World Series face-off with the Dodgers this October.

Imai would not have had the option this season, had he gone to Chicago’s South Side. Adding Imai would have certainly raised Chicago’s talent level, but the South Siders still have ways to go before being competitive. The club still has to get better defensively, hit with runners in scoring position, and pitch in high-leverage situations. Those are areas where Imai would have minimal impact.

If Imai wanted to pursue winning right away, you cannot fault him for passing on signing with White Sox.