Japanese stars Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto are close to finalizing contracts as their 45-day posting windows near expiration; Imai must sign by Friday at 4:00 pm Central, while Okamoto has until Sunday. Both players are in the U.S. for meetings with teams, with Imai linked to the Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Phillies, and Orioles. Imai, a top pitcher with a 1.92 ERA and 27% strikeout rate, is expected to secure a lucrative deal, and the signing team will owe a posting fee to the Seibu Lions.
