Yankees make frustrating decision on Astros signing Tatsuya Imai for $63M originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
The New York Yankees haven’t played much this winter. They’ve been linked to some top players like Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger and some top starters. However, they have yet to land a top free agent.
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The Astros have signed top starting pitcher Ryuya Imai from Japan to a three-year, $63 million contract, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. This is an offer the Yankees can and should make.
But, just like Devin Williams and Luke Weaver left to join the New York Mets despite no interest from the Yankees, the Yankees missed out on a reasonable contract.
Yankees make frustrating decision in Tatsuya Imai trade to Astros
With Imai singing along with the Astros, the Yankees now have fewer options in their starting rotation. This isn’t a random connection either, as the week before this deal, the Yankees were reportedly in the running for Imai.
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The 27-year-old Japanese ace has a 1.92 ERA with the Seibu Lions in 2025 and is one of the top pitchers left on the market. Since his market isn’t strong, the Yankees will have to spend as much on him as some of their other top free agents.
Franber Valdez and Rangers Suarez will likely get bigger, longer contracts than Imai got from Houston. He chose a higher AAV but shorter term rather than a longer-term, smaller AAV deal.
This is a contract the Yankees should be able to sign because it’s a very reasonable deal for a starter with ace potential. While there is some risk, the rewards are very high.
more: Yankees could pursue Nationals’ ‘ace potential’ All-Star
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Although the Yankees have been linked to multiple top free agents, they haven’t spent big this winter. Their interest in Imai, a player frequently linked to the Yankees this offseason, is real.
But while the Yankees were interested in Imai and had the means to sign him to a long-term or short-term contract, they missed the opportunity. While it’s unknown if they offered Imai a competitive contract, the Yankees’ situation of missing out on another top free agent looks tough.
It’s been a frustrating offseason for Yankees fans, with Imai signing with the Astros for three years, $63 million with an option to opt out after each season, a major miss for the Yankees.
