The Atlanta Braves have been out of the Asia-Pacific baseball market for way too long. With stars like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Munetaka Murakami proving that the transition to Major League Baseball can be a successful one, Atlanta needs to capitalize on this market going forward.
What better time to do so than this offseason? Multiple stars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) are expected to be posted this winter, and one in particular who should intrigue the Braves is right-handed pitcher Kaima Taira. It was announced this morning that Taira will be posted by the Seibu Lions, and he is expected to have plenty of suitors.
This is Kaima Taira. He is 5-foot-8, 220 pounds and throws up to 100 mph. He also might be the best starting pitcher available this winter outside of Tarik Skubal. More on him, Teruaki Sato (the class’ best hitter) and Hiromi Itoh: https://t.co/cOHKPO8tDn pic.twitter.com/yHTSuY7Zc7
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 10, 2026
Why the Braves should be in on Kaima Taira this offseason
Taira was a star in the NPB last season, finishing with a 1.36 ERA, 2.28 FIP, and 16.9% K/B in 22 starts. Taira is an interesting target because there is some risk he ends up in the bullpen. Taira has bounced around between starting and relieving in his career, recording 35 saves in 2025, then dominating the league as a starter in 2026.
Additionally, Taira's frame is very unique. He is 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, but reports indicate he generates excellent extension. Taira is a power pitcher; he touched 100 mph with his fastball, and last season he averaged over 95 mph on his fastball, which was the highest in NPB last year.
Taira also offers a deep pitch-mix, utilizing a sweeper, cutter, changeup, slider, splitter, and two-seamer. He's an interesting free agent in the fact that some teams will view him as a reliever, and others as a high-upside starter. Because of that, the potential contract for Taira is hard to project.
Regardless, the Braves have a major need in the rotation, and not many "could start a playoff game" pitchers exist in this free agent pool. Furthermore, the ones who are quality big league starters will come with a hefty price tag. There is a real world where four years, $70 million is enough to sign the 27-year-old Taira, and at that price the Braves would be foolish to not be in the running.
Murakami's market fizzled out last season, and the White Sox were the beneficiary. Perhaps the Braves can capitalize this offseason with Taira. Time will tell how many teams are interested in Taira, and to what level they are willing to pay for a pitcher with just one dominant season as a starter. However, if the Braves are not among the teams at least checking in on Taira's market, then they are failing to capitalize on a successful market once again.
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