The Los Angeles Dodgers have become the standard-bearers of Major League Baseball. Back-to-back World Series titles will do that. They’re the team everyone measures themselves against-and, in some cases, the team players are aiming to beat rather than join.
Enter Tatsuya Imai.
The Japanese right-hander, fresh off being posted by the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball, made it clear he’s not looking to ride shotgun on the Dodgers’ dynasty. He wants to challenge it.
“Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki,” Imai said. “But winning against a team like that and becoming a world champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I’d rather take them down.”
That’s not just confidence-it’s competitive fire. And it’s exactly the kind of mentality that has teams lining up to make their pitch.
Imai is expected to draw significant interest this winter, and one club that’s already been linked to him is the Philadelphia Phillies. Philly, still licking its wounds from a four-game NLDS exit at the hands of those same Dodgers, looks like a team ready to retool rather than rebuild. Adding an arm like Imai’s could be a major piece of that puzzle.
MLB insider Jon Heyman recently mentioned Imai as a potential target for the Phillies, and that makes a lot of sense. The Phillies have the financial flexibility, the competitive window, and the motivation to make a splash. They were widely seen as a legitimate threat to the Dodgers heading into the postseason, but LA took control of their series early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead on the road and never looking back.
Now, Philadelphia is heading into a pivotal offseason. According to Heyman, the front office is exploring a range of options-from trade discussions involving Brandon Marsh and potentially Alec Bohm, to efforts to re-sign key veterans like Kyle Schwarber and J.T.
Realmuto. There’s also a chance lefty Ranger Suárez could return.
That’s a lot of moving parts, but it all points to one thing: the Phillies aren’t standing pat. They’re trying to close the gap, and they know exactly who they need to beat to get there.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have been relatively quiet so far this offseason. But don’t mistake silence for inactivity.
This is a front office that plays the long game, and with a roster already loaded with stars, they have the luxury of being selective. Still, it’s hard to imagine them not making a few strategic moves to stay ahead of the pack.
As for Imai, his decision will be one of the more intriguing storylines of the winter. He’s a highly regarded talent with the kind of upside that could shift a rotation-and a postseason race.
Wherever he lands, he’s not just looking to compete. He’s looking to take down the champs.
And in today’s MLB landscape, that means one thing: all roads run through Los Angeles.