Could Tatsuya Imai Be the Mets' New Year's Surprise? | MLB Arsenal Breakdown & Free Agency BUZZ

Tatsuya Imai’s MLB future hangs in the balance as the New York Mets weigh whether to make a franchise-shifting move before his posting window closes.  Could Imai’s electric arsenal and rising fastball give the Mets the frontline starter they need, or will front office hesitation see him go elsewhere?  Host Ryan Finkelstein breaks down Imai’s standout 2025 NPB numbers, analyzes how his arm slot changes and unique pitch mix might translate to MLB, and explores the contract and posting fee hurdles that have cooled big-market demand.Key questions swirl around the Mets’ rotation plans—should they gamble on Imai’s upside or double down on Kodai Senga’s proven ghost fork?  With options like Framber Valdez lingering and young arms Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong, and Nolan McLean waiting in the wings, Ryan Finkelstein examines roster flexibility, draft pick implications, and what front office silence could signal about the Mets’ true strategy for 2026.Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub  JOIN THE LOCKED ON METS INSIDER COMMUNITY: https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonmets Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Every Friday night, before the games tip off, FanDuel gives fans a new way to kick off the weekend with NBA Happy Hour. Check the FanDuel app and see what’s dropping during NBA Happy Hour — every Friday from 6 to 7:30 PM Eastern.FanDuel — the Official Sportsbook Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.