As the MLB offseason heats up, the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees appear to be the primary teams vying for the services of standout international free agent Tatsuya Imai, a right-handed starter transitioning from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Imai, fresh off a dominant campaign in NPB, has the potential to become one of the most impactful additions to any rotation this winter.

Both franchises require reinforcement in their starting pitching staffs and possess the financial resources to offer Imai a substantial contract, potentially in the neighborhood of $150 million for a multi-year commitment.

An analyst from CBS Sports, RJ Anderson, recently forecasted that Imai would choose the Cubs rather than the Yankees during this free agency period.

“Imai is an incoming transfer from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league,” Anderson wrote. “He’s on a lower level than someone like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he has a quality arsenal that includes a mid-90s fastball and a wrong-way slider. All the usual big spenders have been connected to Imai publicly, with the Yankees and Cubs probably making the most sense for him. Coin flip says Chicago.”

Imai has openly discussed his motivation to challenge the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers, a sentiment likely to resonate positively with supporters of rival clubs across the league.

Should his adjustment to Major League Baseball prove seamless, similar to the rapid success seen with arms like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Imai might swiftly rise to ace status.

The Cubs, in particular, face an urgent need to strengthen their starting rotation after inconsistencies plagued the unit last year.

Landing Imai could provide Chicago with an ideal solution to shore up the top of their pitching staff.

With his posting window set to close soon, the coming days will determine whether Imai heads to Wrigley Field or Yankee Stadium, marking a pivotal moment in this offseason’s international market.