Tatsuya Imai to the Astros

[Bertz]

Cross the Astros off the list too, as they're $24M under the tax.  Might be a threat if we shift focus to trades

Quote

 

Whether the Astros have the appetite or assets to add another starter is a mystery. They are still searching for a backup catcher, bullpen help and, if Brown has his druthers, will add another left-handed bat to balance an extremely right-handed lineup. All of the objectives must be accomplished with limited financial flexibility and, now, a further depleted farm system.

All three of Brown’s pitching additions this winter reinforce that owner Jim Crane is reluctant to cross the luxury tax for a third consecutive season. On Friday, Brown said the Astros “do have the money we need” while adding “we’re not going to go out and overpay, but we will be aggressive.”

 

 

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Bertz said:

Cross the Astros off the list too, as they're $24M under the tax.  Might be a threat if we shift focus to trades

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I might be missing a team, but it seems like the primary competition for him may be the Giants and the Mets*

 

*As long as they offer him on one of the days the Mets think money is fake, and not one of the days when Pete Alonso asked for money.

[Rcal10]

52 minutes ago, Stratos said:

The offseason rewards patience because players can fall into your lap later in the offseason when their market collapses as teams come off the board.

I don’t agree with this. Sure in some instances someone falls and you get a good deal. But more often than not patience results in not getting a guy you really want. And it isn’t how a large market team should act. The best FA move by the Cubs last year was probably Boyd. They jumped the market for him. Maybe for low budget guys waiting works. Maybe you have several in the same class and end up taking a guy who fell, late. But generally patience isn’t rewarded when talking big ticket signings. And for once, if the Cubs really want someone I would like to see them just get him not wait for the last man standing. 

[Bertz]

42 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I might be missing a team, but it seems like the primary competition for him may be the Giants and the Mets*

 

*As long as they offer him on one of the days the Mets think money is fake, and not one of the days when Pete Alonso asked for money.

Yeah I think this is probably right.  And if you want to doom boner Imai's age would be a pretty solid reason for Stearns to make him an exception to his blanket "be a hardass about years" policy.

[ILMindState]

53 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I might be missing a team, but it seems like the primary competition for him may be the Giants and the Mets*

 

*As long as they offer him on one of the days the Mets think money is fake, and not one of the days when Pete Alonso asked for money.

If we hear a mystery team has emerged as one of the finalists than I'll believe we're near the end game. 

[Neuby]

A's

Braves

Mariners

 

My three dark horse teams for Imai,

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

52 minutes ago, Neuby said:

A's

Braves

Mariners

 

My three dark horse teams for Imai,

A's would be insane. Maybe if they were at all close to moving, but they're stuck in West Sac for years.

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I don’t agree with this. Sure in some instances someone falls and you get a good deal. But more often than not patience results in not getting a guy you really want. And it isn’t how a large market team should act. The best FA move by the Cubs last year was probably Boyd. They jumped the market for him. Maybe for low budget guys waiting works. Maybe you have several in the same class and end up taking a guy who fell, late. But generally patience isn’t rewarded when talking big ticket signings. And for once, if the Cubs really want someone I would like to see them just get him not wait for the last man standing. 

If you wait the price can come down and you gain more leverage as teams come off the board.  Maybe the price doesn't come down, but as long as you're not desperate or can still pivot there's little risk.  I can't name a time when Jed had a bad offseason because he waited to long, he usually ends up with good players on good contracts.

Had we paid Bellinger/Boras what they wanted in December two offseasons ago we'd have paid out the ying-yang.  Montgomery and Chapman were also steals that offseason, and Bregman didn't get the longterm deal he probably wanted last year.  Maybe it's mostly a tactic that works with Boras LOL.

[Stratos]

7 hours ago, Cuzi said:

Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, Phillies, Giants, Astros, DBacks, Tigers. Probably a couple others lurking.

There's more than you think that could be in play.

I really wouldn't be shocked to learn that Hoyer saw that King contract and started concocting a similar offer for Gallen but with an opt  out after year 2.

Tigers already have Skubal and Flaherty so they don't need someone like Imai as much as the Cubs do.  I could just as easily see them being happy with someone like Gallen.  Can't count out the Dodgers either, though not as likely.  They were reported to be shopping Glasnow earlier in the offseason.

[DrCub]

4 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I don’t agree with this. Sure in some instances someone falls and you get a good deal. But more often than not patience results in not getting a guy you really want. And it isn’t how a large market team should act. The best FA move by the Cubs last year was probably Boyd. They jumped the market for him. Maybe for low budget guys waiting works. Maybe you have several in the same class and end up taking a guy who fell, late. But generally patience isn’t rewarded when talking big ticket signings. And for once, if the Cubs really want someone I would like to see them just get him not wait for the last man standing. 

Do you feel like we say this every year?  I sure as hell do.  

[thawv]

16 hours ago, mul21 said:

Because there's just no way to get even near the CBT for 2027 with all the money they have coming off the books.  Therefore, it makes sense to spend the money now on a longer term deal, be over the first level of the CBT in 2026 and then you drop back under in 2027 so you're not a repeat offender.

It makes perfect sense to blow by the first level this season with almost 150 million coming off the books in contracts as of today.  But that means nothing to Tom.  

[thawv]

11 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I don’t agree with this. Sure in some instances someone falls and you get a good deal. But more often than not patience results in not getting a guy you really want. And it isn’t how a large market team should act. The best FA move by the Cubs last year was probably Boyd. They jumped the market for him. Maybe for low budget guys waiting works. Maybe you have several in the same class and end up taking a guy who fell, late. But generally patience isn’t rewarded when talking big ticket signings. And for once, if the Cubs really want someone I would like to see them just get him not wait for the last man standing. 

I feel the same way.  Want a guy...go get him.  Waiting out the FA market gets you what's left over. 

[Rcal10]

8 hours ago, Stratos said:

If you wait the price can come down and you gain more leverage as teams come off the board.  Maybe the price doesn't come down, but as long as you're not desperate or can still pivot there's little risk.  I can't name a time when Jed had a bad offseason because he waited to long, he usually ends up with good players on good contracts.

Had we paid Bellinger/Boras what they wanted in December two offseasons ago we'd have paid out the ying-yang.  Montgomery and Chapman were also steals that offseason, and Bregman didn't get the longterm deal he probably wanted last year.  Maybe it's mostly a tactic that works with Boras LOL.

Exact mindset of this FO. And wrong to do this every time, for a major market. Why do they have to shop the discount aisle? Why can’t they shop luxury every so often? Sure you can name a few guys that fell and where signed SHORT TERM to cheap deals. But what about all players missed while waiting for them to drop. You just don’t get the star players for several years with that mindset. And as a major market team you should always be in on the stars. Won’t get them all, but should at least try for a guy if they really want him. 

[squally1313]

9 hours ago, Stratos said:

If you wait the price can come down and you gain more leverage as teams come off the board.  Maybe the price doesn't come down, but as long as you're not desperate or can still pivot there's little risk.  I can't name a time when Jed had a bad offseason because he waited to long, he usually ends up with good players on good contracts.

Had we paid Bellinger/Boras what they wanted in December two offseasons ago we'd have paid out the ying-yang.  Montgomery and Chapman were also steals that offseason, and Bregman didn't get the longterm deal he probably wanted last year.  Maybe it's mostly a tactic that works with Boras LOL.

Hoyer ended up with a pile of unspent cash at the end of last offseason because there was no one left to sign and then acquired no one of real substance (please do not make me get into a semantics argument about kittredge) at the trade deadline. I liked the tucker trade as much as anyone, but when you go out in game 5 of the NLDS because drew pomeranz and Colin Rea gave up home runs in the first four innings while coming nowhere near the first luxury tax, it’s real hard for me to say he made the best, or even a good, use of his budget. 

[JunkyardWalrus]

2 hours ago, thawv said:

I feel the same way.  Want a guy...go get him.  Waiting out the FA market gets you what's left over. 

Jed's the dude at the bar trying to find a girl at 2 am when the lights come on. It’s just his style. 

[Geographyhater8888]

17 minutes ago, JunkyardWalrus said:

Jed's the dude at the bar trying to find a girl at 2 am when the lights come on. It’s just his style. 

He’s test driving a 2023 Toyata Corolla with good mileage while the Dodgers are buying Lamborghini Revueltos in bulk with varying paint schemes.

Edited December 20, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[CubUgly]

3 hours ago, thawv said:

It makes perfect sense to blow by the first level this season with almost 150 million coming off the books in contracts as of today.  But that means nothing to Tom.  

I agree it does, but I also don't expect our front office to do that and would be genuinely SHOCKED if they did. 

[JunkyardWalrus]

36 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

He’s test driving a 2023 Toyata Corolla with good mileage while the Dodgers are buying Lamborghini Revueltos in bulk with varying paint schemes.

And haggling over the price before walking away. (pun intended.)

 

[Jason Ross]

I found this phrasing interesting. "Are the Cubs closing in on a starting pitching?" is a specific type of a question (not one that is more indirection like a "signing" or a 'trade"). With where Imai is on his timeline of signing, could be telling.

[Illiterate Scholar]

Breaking down the phrasing of a Bruce Levine tweet is always a tricky game.

But also where we are in the calendar, I'd kinda hope the answer is yes.

[thawv]

1 hour ago, JunkyardWalrus said:

Jed's the dude at the bar trying to find a girl at 2 am when the lights come on. It’s just his style. 

Hahahaha....great analogy!

[Jason Ross]

45 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I found this phrasing interesting. "Are the Cubs closing in on a starting pitching?" is a specific type of a question (not one that is more indirection like a "signing" or a 'trade"). With where Imai is on his timeline of signing, could be telling.

Gave it a listen. Not a lot of substance. 

[Dfan25]

The info that’s coming out on Imai makes no sense whatsoever . So we are 13 days away from his deadline with Christmas and new year in the middle of that .

 

He hasn’t visit any teams yet , and doesn’t have any schedule visits . That’s super weird .  Has to be complete BS .

[Derwood]

2 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

The info that’s coming out on Imai makes no sense whatsoever . So we are 13 days away from his deadline with Christmas and new year in the middle of that .

 

He hasn’t visit any teams yet , and doesn’t have any schedule visits . That’s super weird .  Has to be complete BS .

Or he did everything via Zoom