If Tatsuya Wanna Sign With, Who Imai To Argue?

Tatsuya Imai signed with the Astros for an incredibly reasonable price (3-year, $54 million) and I have to be honest with you, I’m starting to get worried. We’re still a year out from a potential work stoppage, but it’s starting to feel like a lot of teams are in Hold Mode. And not Hold Mode like when you’d come in from a long day at The Widget Emporium and say to Martha, “Martha, would you hold me?” And Martha held you for ten minutes while you wept in her arms because Frank in accounting said you had halitosis. Martha said it’s tonsil stones and they can help you at your Smile Factory aka what she calls your dentist. Nope, this is not that kinda Hold Mode. This Hold Mode is Steinbrenner saying to Brian Cashman, “How can we cry for a salary cap if the salaries we’re supposed to be paying are above that?” That’s not a good Hold Mode. That’s a bad Hold Mode. What looks good is Tatsuya Imai’s reverse slider. Yoink compilation!

YOINK compilation pic.twitter.com/NP89iw66L1

— Criminalsimpsons (@Criminalsimpson) December 21, 2025

Tatsuya Imai works with a 95+ MPH fastball that can touch 99. He has three main pitches: reverse slider, fastball, change. Has a splitter and started working on a “vulcan,” which is a sinker. I like how Japanese pitchers call their pitches goofy names like the ghost fork and the vulcan. Utter nonsense, which I love. Last year, Imai went 10-5/1.92/0.89/178 in 163 2/3 IP. That puts the 27-year-old at a 9.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9, and that translates to around a 8.5 K/9, 3 BB/9 guy. That can be a strong number three, but you know who those numbers sound a lot like? Framber, who took those numbers with the Astros’ help and made them sing like an ace. Never underestimate the Astros’ ability to zhuzh up. Hmm, no streamers fell from my ceiling when I was the first fantasy baseball writer to use “zhuzh” in a sentence. 2026 Projections: 11-8/3.74/1.27/160 in 171 IP. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this offseason for 2026 fantasy baseball:

Psyche! All of my 2026 fantasy baseball rankings are on the Patreon. Don’t wait for the rankings to come out later this month. Anyway II, the roundup:

Pete Fairbanks – Signed by the Marlins, which is a top five most bizarre signing of the last decade, and 2nd most bizarre is Ryan O’Hearn. Marlins and Pirates making signings, cats and dogs getting along, we are in the Upside Down! By the way, I don’t know what the Upside Down is at this point, and I stopped caring around 2017. Even if the Marlins signed Fairbanks to trade him in July, which I 100% think they did, good on them. 2026 Projections: 5-3/2.93/1.06/56, 24 saves in 54 IP

Tyler Mahle – Signed with the Giants. There’s no better place for a T. Mahle than San Fran’s Mission District. Let the Giants lure that southpaw, Chip Otle, from the Mexican Leagues, and open the restrooms! Mahle always manages to suffer through a partial no-K season with excellent ratios, but it’s so hard to trust that that, well, I can’t. Fine for a deeper league, but can’t imagine drafting him in a 12-teamer. 2026 Projections: 7-7/4.03/1.21/99 in 123 IP

Ryan O’Hearn – Signed by the Pirates. Not to be too complimentary of the Pirates’ moves, because they should still receive scorn, in general, but O’Hearn is a solid middle-of-the-order bat for real baseball. Low Ks, high walks, some power. Oh, he still had an under-30% HardHit%, which is so comical for a 1st baseman and a middle-of-the-order bat, but for Pirates? Great! I’m being generous, you cowards! Try it some time! 2026 Projections: 68/15/73/.262/3 in 481 ABs

Jeff McNeil – Traded to the A’s. The prospblock rides west! From prospblocking Ronny Mauricio, Luisangel Acuña, Mark Vientos, Brett Baty–Yes, somehow McNeil blocked four guys. Don’t ask how. Well, now his job is to block Zack Gelof. McNeil will attempt to wet blanket Bing Bong like no one else has been able to before. I’m truly hoping the A’s only give McNeil 150-200 ABs, but Gelof and his 45 K% wasn’t exactly making a strong case for himself. 2026 Projections: 57/15/55/.257/3 in 454 ABs

Kirby Yates – Signed with the Angels. They got him as the guy to help move Rendon’s stuff into the UHaul. Then put the Uhaul in neutral on the top of a steep hill. I project guys in my top 500 and Yates will be in the top 500, but I’m not sure if he’s the closer yet, so I’m holding off on projecting him. My guess is he will be the closer if they don’t add anyone else. Not sure who else they’d add. Maybe Rendon on a smaller deal to close? Don’t put it past the Angels!

Jarred Kelenic – Signed a minor league contract with the White Sox. If any team can unlock Kelenic, I wouldn’t bet on the White Sox.

Sean Newcomb – Signed with the White Sox for $4.5 million. Would’ve been cheaper just to get a haircut.

Rob Refsnyder – Signed with the Mariners. [looking into crystal ball] Mariners vs. A’s on September 3rd, 2026 and it’s the 9th inning. “Here comes Refsndyer in to pitch. If he can hold the A’s here, all fans in attendance will win a half-off bread bowl at Pike Place Chowder. Oh no, just as I say that…Jeff McNeil takes him deep with his 14th homer to make it 16-1. “