When the Atlanta Braves were rumored to be pursuing Tatsuya Imai, it was a bit of a surprise to be honest. Historically, the Braves have not been involved in the market for Japanese players at all really owing, in part, to their geography and the preferences of most players from Japan. On top of that, the Braves have already spent a good bit on their 2026 payroll this offseason which made Imai feel like a stretch at best.
As a result, most Braves fans weren't surprised nor were they outraged at Imai signing elsewhere. While there was certainly a roster fit and missing out on a top talent definitely stinks, it wasn't like there was a long, massive build-up beforehand. Atlanta's interest was surprising and exciting, but that interest was also revealed late in the process which softened the blow as fans didn't have long to get their hopes up.
However, the Braves missing out on Imai may have less to do with the actual dollars or their level of interest and more to do with the fact that Imai has Scott Boras as his agent.
Scott Boras' playbook conflicts with how Braves do business and it probably cost them Tatsuya Imai
Boras is obviously a familiar boogeyman around baseball and you won't find an agent that is better known or more disliked by fans than him. Formally known for his ability to get his clients lucrative long-term deals, Boras has changed his playbook in recent years. He is still getting those mega-deals, but he has also been employing a pivot, when appropriate, where his clients sign shorter term, higher AAV deals that include multiple opt-outs just like the deal Imai just signed.
For the Braves, both of options are definitely seen as undesirable. Alex Anthopoulos has certainly been willing to hand out long-term deals, but they have almost exclusively been extensions and at lower AAVs which is not Boras' style. One would think that the short-term, high AAV deals would be right up AA's alley given how many somewhat pricey one-year deals he has handed out.
However, the one thing Atlanta never really does is hand out opt-outs. Any options (or option-like clauses) they put in contracts are (almost) always team options to give the control and flexibility to the club, not the player. There is wisdom in not letting players have a say in decisions that could throw a wrench in their planning, but it also means the players that want that control who also employ Boras are going to be out of reach.
Sadly, this is yet another example of why the Braves don't deal with Boras for the most part. The Braves want to do things their way and that stands in direct contrast to how Boras goes about his business. In this case, that gap in philosophy may have contributed to losing out on Imai.