It never takes much, does it? Drop one Japanese ace’s name into the San Diego Padres rumor mill and the fanbase that swore it was going to be “more guarded this winter” is suddenly back to dreaming. Tatsuya Imai isn’t just another international name on a transaction wire — he’s the latest test of whether A.J. Preller can thread the needle between tightening payroll and still chasing upside big enough to matter in the NL West.
And the hints aren’t subtle. This isn’t one anonymous scout whispering at a winter meetings bar. Imai’s name has been popping up across X from multiple reporters and fans tracking the international market, and the dots aren’t hard to connect.