"Imai wants to take down the Dodgers and be the only Japanese player on a team In an interview with Daisuke Matsuzaka on "Hodo Station," Imai stated he'd rather beat the Dodgers for a World Series than join them. "Of course, I'd enjoy playing alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki, 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.""
"Imai also stated he'd rather be the only Japanese player on the team, wanting the challenge of trying to get over cultural differences and embrace the team he's on. "If there were another Japanese player on the same team, I could just ask them about anything, right? But that's actually not what I'm looking for. In a way, I want to experience that sense of survival. When I come face to face with cultural differences, I want to see how I can overcome them on my own. That's part of what I'm excited about.""
Tatsuya Imai was posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions on November 10, with the MLB negotiation window expiring January 2. Early expectations linked him to the Los Angeles Dodgers alongside Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Imai stated he would rather beat the Dodgers for a World Series than join them and described winning against that team as the most valuable thing in his life. He said he wants to be the only Japanese player on his MLB team to face cultural differences and test how he can overcome them on his own. The Toronto Blue Jays have an open fifth starting spot and could pursue Imai as a fit.
Read at Jays Journal
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