9+ hour, 20+ min ago (271+ words) One of the most obviously storylines of the offseason so far is the fact that the Boston Red Sox need some more power and are on the prowl. Boston has made it clear that it wants to add pop and the organization has been linked in some way, shape, or form to every big-name slugger out there, whether they played in Major League Baseball in 2025, or not. Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, and Kyle Schwarber are obvious options But, not the only ones. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Red Sox, along with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays, have "big interest" in Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto. "Japanese 3B-1B Kazuma Okamoto also has big interest, including from the Red Sox, Pirates, and Jays," Heyman wrote. Okamoto may not be a household name yet, but he will be....

12+ hour, 55+ min ago (536+ words) On Thursday, Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported that Japanese superstar Kazuma Okamoto was receiving "big" interest from teams across Major League Baseball, including the Pirates, Blue Jays and Red Sox. On November 20, the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan officially posted the 29-year-old infielder/outfielder, who is widely regarded as one of the most sought-after hitters on the planet. For those unfamiliar with what "posting" means, here's what Google Gemini says: Prior to Heyman's report from Thursday, there was already reported interest from the Angels, Yankees, Cubs and Mets in the NPB slugger. At that time, Boston was mentioned to be in the mix as well. And weeks later, Boston appears to be the only team from that first group still vying for his services. And while all teams involved have plenty of cash…...

12+ hour, 55+ min ago (126+ words) The Red Sox are reportedly interested in Japanese superstar Kazuma Okamoto, who is receiving a bevy of interest from teams around baseball. Does Boston have a secret weapon on their roster to help push them over the top? Yahoo Sports senior MLB analyst Jake Mintz and senior MLB analyst Jordan Shusterman react to Tatsuya Imai's comments about wanting to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers and make his own path in Major League Baseball. Hear the full conversation on the "Baseball Bar-B-Cast" podcast - and subscribe on The Red Sox are reportedly interested in Japanese superstar Kazuma Okamoto, who is receiving a bevy of interest from teams around baseball. Does Boston have a secret weapon on their roster to help push them over the top?...

17+ hour, 44+ min ago (712+ words) Cal Poly Pomona alum Cody Ponce rejoined Major League Baseball on Tuesday and made history in the process. An Upland High graduate, Ponce agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, the defending American League champion. It's the largest sports contract ever signed by a Cal Poly Pomona alum, and doubles the largest contract ever given to a domestic player returning from the Korea Baseball Organization. Last week, Ponce was named the Most Valuable Player of the Korea Baseball Organization, while also winning the Choi Dong-won Award (for best pitcher) unanimously. Ponce went 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 180.2 innings for the Hanwha Eagles, leading the team to the Korean Series, where the team ultimately lost to the LG Twins in five games. He picked up the only win for the Eagles in Game 3, providing a six-inning…...

23+ hour, 5+ min ago (424+ words) The New York Yankees have had a quiet offseason, but the team could make a splash by signing an International free agent. New York has a need in the outfield, especially if Cody Bellinger walks in free agency. As well as at first base. With that, MLB insider Andrew Tredinnick of NorthJersey predicts the Yankees will sign Kazuma Okamoto to bolster their offense. "Right-handed hitter could provide Aaron Boone with a plethora of lineup options, with his ability to play both third and first base," Tredinnick wrote. Okamoto would bolster the Yankees" offense and add some more power to the lineup. He also has the ability to play the outfield if needed. But figures to be a corner infielder, which is a major need for the Yankees. New York had a hole at third base for most of last season,…...

1+ day, 4+ hour ago (280+ words) New Doosan Bears pitcher Ichiro Tamura poses in front of the team's logo at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Thursday, after signing a contract with the Korea Baseball Organization club. Courtesy of Doosan Bears The Doosan Bears signed Japanese pitcher Ichiro Tamura as their Asian quota player for the 2026 season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). The Bears said Tamura, 31, signed a one-year contract worth $200,000. The right-hander had pitched for the Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 2017 to this year after being selected as No. 6 overall in the 2016 draft. The reliever has logged 182 2/3 innings over 150 career NPB games, going 4-2 with two saves, eight holds and a 3.40 ERA. In 2025, Tamura had a 3.58 ERA over 27 2/3 innings with the Lions while also appearing in 16 games and recording seven saves as the closer for the Lions' minor league affiliate. The…...

2+ day, 15+ hour ago (821+ words) Red Sox fans are plenty familiar with most of the big names on this year's free agent market. Alex Bregman is coming off an All-Star season in Boston, Kyle Schwarber played for half a season with the Red Sox in 2021, and guys like Pete Alonso, Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez have ranked among the game's best for years now. But as we've seen over the years, great talent can come from anywhere. This winter a number of Japanese standouts are set to make the jump to Major League Baseball, and three in particular are expected to make an immediate impact upon their arrival. These players aren't household names yet, but here's everything Red Sox fans will need to know about what they bring to the table. Standing at 5-foot-11, 154 pounds, Imai is not an imposing presence on the mound. Yet…...

4+ day, 3+ hour ago (389+ words) Tatsuya Imai was expected to get plenty of interest from the San Francisco Giants, a team who might've fit him better than the Yankees. Instead, Andrew Baggerty of The Athletic reports that the Giants "do not anticipate' a pursuit of Imai due to various financial reasons. A stance that will rule San Francisco out of the Imai sweepstakes, the Yankees are in an excellent spot as they're firmly in the mix for the talented right-hander. Sources told Empire Sports Media that the Yankees are "seriously' interested in Tatsuya Imai and he is one of the team's top priorities. After recording a 1.92 ERA across 24 starts for the Seibu Lions in 2025, Tatsuya Imai is expected to get a nine-figure contract offer from multiple teams. It's all-but-certain that he will sign a deal in excess of $100 million, but the question becomes which teams…...

4+ day, 14+ hour ago (21+ words) The Yankees have made one thing crystal clear during his offseason, they want to get back into the Japanese player market....

4+ day, 15+ hour ago (430+ words) The New York Yankees have a real shot at landing Tatsuya Imai this winter. This thought stems from teams having already made additions, financial constraints, and Imai's own preference. One of those teams not in on Imai, as once assumed, is the San Francisco Giants. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Giants don't plan on landing any high-priced stars this offseason. "The Giants have been repeatedly linked to Tatsuyi Imai, the premier free agent pitcher from Japan," Olney wrote on X. "But a lot of their market pitching inquiries have been for more modestly priced arms -- a strong indication they aren't chasing the highest priced pitchers, like Imai." Unless this report is bunk, Imai is less likely to play alongside Arson Judge in San Francisco. Another National League West team that could be out of it is the Los Angeles Dodgers....