The Dodgers keep getting better, but Tatsuya Imai wants no part of it.
Weeks after the Japanese star declared he wants to take the Dodgers “down,” Imai doubled down following Los Angeles’ signing of former Mets superstar closer Edwin Díaz.
“With the number of pitchers they already have, they don’t need me,” Imai told Japanese outlet Sponichi Annex on Tuesday while visiting the Belluna Dome — home of the Seibu Lions — for a workout.
The hard-throwing right-hander told Japanese legend Daisuke Matsuzaka in late November that defeating the Dodgers to become champion would be “the most valuable thing in my life.”
As the 27-year-old weighs his next move, his thinking hasn’t changed.
“Isn’t that what every player except those on the Dodgers thinks?” Imai said of wanting to beat the back-to-back World Series champions. “To me that’s only natural. I was just voicing what many players feel.”
Imai’s comments made their way to the Dodgers’ clubhouse, including to All-Star infielder Max Muncy, who said he wasn’t familiar with Imai but understood why he’d rather defeat LA than join it.
“I mean, to be honest, it’s no different than any other starting pitcher out there — they all want to take us down,” Muncy said during a recent appearance on the “Foul Territory” podcast. “I haven’t looked into this guy at all. I don’t know what his stuff is. I’m sure he’s amazing, as we’ve seen a lot of Japanese pitchers come over and be extremely good — including the guys on our staff.
“So I’m sure he’s very talented. Every pitcher not on our team is saying the same thing: they want to take us down, they want to be the one to beat us. That’s what makes it fun to play for the Dodgers — you’re going to get everyone’s best every single night.”
Imai also confirmed agent Scott Boras’ announcement that he’ll visit interested teams in the United States after this year’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, which wrap up Wednesday.
“We’ve got to really kind of narrow the interest,” Boras said Tuesday in Orlando.
The 5-foot-11, 154-pound flamethrower has drawn interest from several teams, including the Yankees and Mets.
In 159 career games for the Lions, he owns a 3.15 ERA and three NPB All-Star selections — including a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts across 163⅔ innings in 2025.
“You have a 27-year-old pitcher who throws 98, 99,” Boras said. “Teams look at that and say, ‘Believe me, in my wildest dreams I never expected someone like Imai to be available.’”
Boras added that he’s been in contact with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman about several players, including Imai.
With New York set to begin 2026 without ace Gerrit Cole, as well as Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt, starting depth will be a priority — and Cashman confirmed Imai remains in the mix.
“Very talented player coming over from Japan,” Cashman said on Yankees Hot Stove this past Sunday. “We’ve certainly taken our big swings trying to add talented players — whether they’re local or overseas. Scott Boras represents him, and he’s got a long list of talented players. I’m talking to a lot of different agents, but he’s obviously one of them.”
