>>151788502
It's Imai, he just closed out his breakout season posting a career-high 27.8% strikeout rate (NPB average: 19.6% strikeout rate) across 163.7 IP. For reference, Yoshinobu Yamamoto recorded a 26.6% strikeout rate in his final NPB season (2023) with the Orix Buffaloes. Imai’s strikeout rate has trended positively through eight NPB seasons. He excels at limiting hard contact (16.5% hard hit rate) and preventing pitches from leaving the park (4.3% HR/FB). Imai’s 53.8% ground ball rate.

The doyers, period sox, and stankees are all looking hard at him despite the projected $200 milly price tag