Tatsuya Imai-Yankees whispers picking up with clock ticking on Japanese ace

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.The top Japanese free-agent pitcher doesn’t want to be a Dodger and that could be a good development for the Yankees.The Yankees are interested in signing righty Tatsuya Imai, the Post has reported, and there have been recent reports linking the two parties ahead of his Jan.

2 signing deadline.Former Mets general manager Steve Phillips recently said on MLB Network Radio that teams are in the $150-180 million range with offers, and he said the Yankees may be willing to go to pricey lengths.“The reports are right now are that he Yankees are aggressively in the market for a starter and they’re in a position to either get Imai or Michael King,” Phillips said.“… It does sound like they may be blowing up the budget a little bit to land one more starting pitcher, in addition to still needing to get (Cody) Bellinger and/or somebody else for their outfield.”Despite having three long-term pitching contracts on their books, the Yankees could use an arm since there are questions about when three starters will be ready.Gerrit Cole is likely to miss Opening Day in his return from Tommy John surgery, Carlos Rodon underwent an elbow scope that will have him on the injured list to start the season and Clarke Schmidt could be out for roughly half of the season if not longer after undergoing Tommy John surgery.The question is to what lengths they are willing to go to secure an additional arm to join the projected rotation of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Luis Gil, and their indication in Imai — and seemingly to a lesser extent King — show they may be willing to make another big investment.Imai, 27, is a fascinating target with his upper-90s fastball and slider combination.He’s posted a 2.14 ERA spanning 49 starts over the last two years for the Seibu Lions in the Japan Pacific League, while tallying 365 strikeou...