"Shohei Ohtani said the same thing";"That’s what they all say" - Fans react to NPB star's comments on MLB team preference

Joining Shohei Ohtani and company, the pool of Japanese talent in the MLB is set to get significantly larger this winter, as several NPB stars are poised to make the journey across the Pacific.

One of the players currently in talks with MLB franchises is pitcher Tatsuya Imai, who has earned three NPB All-Star selections in a nine-year stint with the Saitama Seibu Lions.

To make the transition easier, several Japanese players coming to MLB in recent years have chosen to join teams that already have some compatriots on the roster.

As Tatsuya Imai told Daisuke Matsuzaka on the show, "Hodo Station" on Monday, however, he intends to go off the beaten path and join a team with no other Japanese members.

Baseball content page "Talkin' Baseball" posted about Imai's comments to X.

"Top Japanese pitching free agent Tatsuya Imai says he does not want to sign with a team that already has Japanese players," the post read.

Talkin’ Baseball

@TalkinBaseball_

Top Japanese pitching free agent Tatsuya Imai says he does not want to sign with a team that already has Japanese players

Several fans dropped their takes in the comments.

"Shohei Ohtani said the same thing when he signed with the Angels," a fan wrote.

Zorro🦊⭐️⭐️⭐️

@ElZorRojinegro

Ohtani said the same thing when he signed with the Angels

"That’s what they all say," another fan commented.

Cj cedeno

@CjC1601

That’s what they all say

"Get ready to learn Toronto slang buddy," another fan replied.

"Braves haven’t had a Japanese player since Kenshin Kawakami we must be the favorites if this holds true," another fan responded.

"Eliminates Dodgers and Padres. Wants to strikeout Shohei Ohtani. Welcome to SF," another fan shared.

"He is saying all this and still sign with the Dodgers," another fan posted.

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Instead of playing for the Dodgers alongside Shohei Ohtani, Tatsuya Imai wants to "take them down"

In the same conversation, Tatsuya Imai was asked about his opinion on potentially joining the LA Dodgers, a team that has proven to be quite a popular destination for NPB stars.

Responding, Imai admitted playing with the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki would be an enjoyable experience. However, he intends to challenge himself and go up againt them instead.

"Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki 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 said via MLB.com

Tatsuya Imai in aciton for Team Japan - Source: Getty

In light of Imai's recent revelations, franchises such as the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays may be fancying their chances at finally enjoying some success in the international market.