Tatsuya Imai

Tatsuya Imai
Imai in 2023
Saitama Seibu Lions – No. 48
Pitcher
Born: (1998-05-09) May 9, 1998
Kanuma, Tochigi, Japan
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
NPB debut
June 13, 2018, for the Saitama Seibu Lions
NPB statistics
(through 2025 season)
Win–loss58–45
ERA3.15
Strikeouts907
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Tatsuya Imai (今井 達也, Imai Tatsuya; born May 9, 1998) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He made his NPB debut in 2018. Imai is a three-time NPB All-Star.

Career

Imai made his NPB debut in 2018 with the Saitama Seibu Lions.[1] Imai struggled in his early career. His ERA was 4.81 in 2018, 4.32 in 2019, and 6.13 in 2020.[2] He vastly improved in 2021, pitching to a 3.30 ERA. He has posted a sub-3.00 ERA in every full season since then.[3]

On April 18, 2025, Imai and Kaima Taira combined to no-hit the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at the Belluna Dome. Imai pitched the first eight innings, with Taira coming in to complete the no-hitter in the ninth inning.[4] On June 17, Imai struck out 17 batters in a game against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, surpassing a club record previously held by Daisuke Matsuzaka.[5] On June 21, it was announced that Imai, along with first baseman Tyler Nevin, received the May Taiju Life Insurance Monthly MVP.[6]

Imai is set to be posted to Major League Baseball during the 2025-26 offseason.[7]

Pitching style

Imai is a 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 176 lb (80 kg) right-handed pitcher.[8] With a low three-quarters delivery,[9] he throws a fastball sitting around 95 miles per hour (153 km/h), which tops out at 99 miles per hour (159 km/h),[10] an above-average mid-80s slider, and a changeup.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ "【コラム】...（※記事タイトル）". 週刊ベースボールONLINE (in Japanese). ベースボール･マガジン社. 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  2. ^ Karasawa, Yuri (June 18, 2025). "Tatsuya Imai Strikes Out 17, Breaks Daisuke's Franchise Record". World Baseball Network. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  3. ^ Eustace, AJ (November 11, 2025). "Mets Interested In Tatsuya Imai". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  4. ^ ""No-hitter, one-run" Seibu's first rare record in 61 years. Tatsuya Imai led a "no hit, no runs game" for the fifth time in professional baseball". pacificleague.com. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  5. ^ "x.com".
  6. ^ "7/8(火) 今井達也投手、タイラー・ネビン選手5月度『大樹生命月間MVP』受賞連盟表彰式開催のお知らせ". 埼玉西武ライオンズ (in Japanese). 2025-06-21. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  7. ^ Agulera, Christos (September 5, 2025). "Next Wave from Japan: Slugger Kazuma Okamoto and Pitcher Tatsuya Imai Expected to be Posted for MLB Teams". crunchsports.com. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  8. ^ "Imai,Tatsuya（Saitama Seibu Lions）". npb.jp. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  9. ^ "【西武投手王国への道】シーズンを通じて安定した投球 今井達也が三振を量産できた理由「技術より、フィジカルや筋力が最初に来ないといけない」 | 野球コラム". 週刊ベースボールONLINE.
  10. ^ "【西武】今井達也「全然良くない」も自己最速更新160キロ エースの仕事全う８回1失点５勝目 - プロ野球 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com.
  11. ^ "The Giants Can't Afford to Miss on This Japanese Ace". San Francisco Giants On SI. November 7, 2025.
  12. ^ https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/tatsuya-imai-to-be-posted-for-mlb-teams-this-offseason.html
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