Offseason Rumors: Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai to sign with Astros

Keep track of all the latest offseason rumors pertaining to the Phillies on Phillies Nation.

Thursday, Jan. 1: Astros to sign Japanese star pitcher Tatsuya Imai

Right-hander Tatsuya Imai has agreed to join the Houston Astros after being posted from his native Japan, according to the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman. The starting pitcher will sign a three-year deal that could earn him as much as $63 million, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic, and will have the ability to opt out after each of the first two seasons of his contract.

Imai, 27, had a 1.92 ERA in 24 starts for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball in 2025, making him one of the most attractive Japanese players of the offseason and a top free agent overall. The Phillies were named a potential “leading candidate” for Imai by MLB Nework‘s David Vassegh near the beginning of the winter and some other rumors swirled later on, but Philadelphia was ultimately not the destination. The Phillies have yet to sign a player to a major-league deal directly from Japan in their franchise history. — Ty Daubert

Friday, Dec. 19: The latest on J.T. Realmuto 

The Phillies aren’t pivoting away from J.T. Realmuto as their main catching target, though it sounds like they are at least thinking about other solutions. It’s all taking a little bit longer than the Phillies have hoped. The catcher and the team are “locked in a standoff,” per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb. A reunion between the two is “still the expectation,” but the Phillies have also “pursued trade alternatives,” per Gelb.

Catcher is the main priority for the Phillies after adding Adolis Garcia to the outfield and making a pair of bullpen trades to go with the signing of Brad Keller to a two-year contract. – Destiny Lugardo

Thursday, Dec. 18: Matt Strahm trade buzz continues

The Matt Strahm trade buzz has continued this offseason. Before the Phillies made their signing of right-hander Brad Keller official on Thursday evening, a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan dropped in the morning indicating that the Phillies are “likely” to trade Strahm.

The left-hander has been one of Philadelphia’s top high-leverage options out of the bullpen since joining the team in 2023, and he had a 2.74 ERA in 66 appearances this season. Strahm has had some postseason hiccups, but he’s largely been a productive reliever capable of pitching in a variety of roles.

If the Phillies do indeed trade Strahm, it could be a move to save money, as he’s due $7.5 million. The club has two other lefties, José Alvarado and Tanner Banks, in its bullpen, and Strahm could get the Phillies some value. A Strahm trade could allow Philadelphia to address other needs on the roster, but a deal without redirecting the savings for 2026 could be a misuse of resources, since Strahm is still effective. — Ty Daubert

Monday, Dec. 15: Phillies reportedly still interested in Harrison Bader after Adolis Garcia signing

The Phillies may not be done reshaping the outfield, but it may take some payroll maneuvering. After signing former Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia to a one-year, $10 million contract, the Phillies “have remained interested” in re-signing center fielder Harrison Bader, per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb. Bader is seeking a three-year deal worth between $10-$15 million per season, per a previous report from Ken Rosenthal. 

Could the Phillies clear payroll space for a potential Bader reunion? They are not going to find any takers for Nick Castellanos and his $20 million salary, especially with Garcia now on the roster. The Phillies have no leverage and few are pouncing on the opportunity to acquire Castellanos after a down year. As Gelb mentions, an Alec Bohm trade could give the Phillies some payroll relief. Bohm is projected to make just over $10 million in his final year of arbitration, per MLB Trade Rumors. – Destiny Lugardo

Monday, Dec. 15: Renewed interest in a familiar trade target?

The Phillies visiting Rate Field in the few days before the 2025 trade deadline only added fuel to the idea that Luis Robert Jr. could find himself in red pinstripes by the end of the week. Robert Jr. stayed put, but the concept might pick up steam again this winter.

The Phillies have renewed interest in Robert Jr., according to a report from The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon. Sharing in that interest is an NL East rival which did so back in July, too: the Mets.

A trade might not be as inspiring now as it would’ve been at the deadline. Robert Jr. had a torrid July before cooling off in August, straining his left hamstring later in the month and missing the remainder of the season. He also earned a $5 million raise this offseason after the club picked up his $20 million option, likely in an effort to trade him for something either now or mid-season.

That price tag is a huge one given his peaks and valleys, with considerably more valleys, offensively over the last few years. But Rosenthal and Sammon report that Chicago would consider paying down a good portion of his salary to sweeten the return.

Given the paucity of quality right-handed hitting outfielders on the free-agent market, there’s an opportunity for Chicago to exploit. It feels unlikely the Phillies would part with an upper-tier prospect for a player as inconsistent (and frequently injured) as Robert Jr. But with rumors that the Phillies could seek to trade a big-leaguer like Alec Bohm or Matt Strahm in an effort to free up payroll, perhaps there’s a chance the Phillies could redirect those funds into a dart throw on Robert Jr. and use cash to offset prospect cost.

The good version of Robert Jr. would fill a hole for the Phillies as their everyday center fielder or, less likely, a platoon partner for Brandon Marsh. Robert Jr.’s OPSes against lefties the last three seasons, in reverse chronological order, are .842, .568 and .952. Unpredictable? Yes. Enticing? Evidently, at least a little bit. – Nathan Ackerman