Imai, Okamoto meeting with clubs in LA as deadlines approach (source)

There are just a few days left for two coveted Japanese stars -- right-hander Tatsuya Imai and corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto -- to negotiate with MLB clubs. And as we enter the final stages of their free agency, a source tells MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand that both players are holding meetings in Los Angeles this week with interested teams.

Imai’s negotiating window closes on Friday at 5 p.m. ET. Okamoto’s window closes on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. If a player doesn’t reach an agreement with a big league club by his deadline, he will be returned to his Nippon Professional Baseball team for the coming season.

The 27-year-old Imai is the No. 11 player in this year’s class of free agents, per Feinsand, and the No. 4 starting pitcher.

A report from Yahoo Japan indicated the White Sox were emerging as contenders for Imai, though Feinsand reported that Chicago is a longshot to ink the righty. The White Sox have already landed one marquee Japanese player this offseason, signing 25-year-old slugger and two-time NPB MVP Munetaka Murakami to a two-year deal on Dec. 21. The Yahoo Japan report also mentioned the Yankees and Phillies as teams in the running for Imai.

Imai recorded a 1.92 ERA over 163 2/3 innings this past season for the Saitama Seibu Lions. He struck out 178 batters, walked 45 and allowed only six home runs. The righty has pitched eight seasons for Seibu, and over the past three years and 470 innings, his ERA is 2.18.

Okamoto, 29, has been linked to a host of teams this offseason, including the Padres, Angels, Pirates, Blue Jays and Red Sox. He is a six-time All-Star in NPB and boasts a career .277/.361/.521 slash line over 11 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants.

Although injuries limited him to only 77 games in 2025, Okamoto still hit 15 homers and batted .322 with a .992 OPS. He strung together six consecutive 30-homer seasons for the Giants from 2018-23.