Blue Jays pitching target, Kaima Taira, draws comparisons to former Toronto ace

A Japanese all-star pitcher may remind Toronto Blue Jays fans of a former Blue Jays' starter, since some are considering him "undersized" for Major League Baseball.

Kaima Taira, a right-hander, was posted Nov. 1 by the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. That allows Taira to sign abroad and join a MLB team, probably by landing an expected nine-figure contract.

The 26-year-old Taira finished 12-5 with a 1.36 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over 146 innings and 23 games in 2026. He struck out 141 while allowing just four home runs and 45 walks. Over his eight-year career in Japan, between starting and pitching in the bullpen,

Taira went 37-24 with a 1.78 ERA and 1.09 WHIP while striking out 620 over 592 innings and 325 games. The four-time all-star holds a NPB record by making 39 consecutive appearances without giving up a run.

Any pitcher who puts up numbers like that would draw interest from a team in need of pitching. Given what happened in 2026, the Toronto Blue Jays certainly are in need of pitching, especially in the starting rotation. Taira could help a lot, and the Blue Jays could certainly afford him. And the Blue Jays saw quite the return for their last signing from Japan, in Kazuma Okamoto's excellent 2026 season shows.

Rotation or bullpen, either way Kaima Taira could be worth the price for Blue Jays

Despite his spectacular 2026 season, Taira does concern some scouts who are not big on players with unconventional body shapes and sizes. He stands at 5-feet, 8-inches and 209 pounds, which may remind some of former Blue Jays pitcher, Marcus Stroman.

Stroman is listed at 5-feet, 7-inches, but despite being called "undersized," he managed to pitch for 11 years. As a two-time All-Star Stroman posted a 3.79 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP over 1497.1 innings, while winning a Gold Glove. Stroman was also named the MVP of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, helping pitch the US to victory.

Stroman is still the only pitcher listed at 5-feet, 8-inches or shorter to throw more than 100 innings in a season since Fred Norman in 1979.

While with Toronto, Stroman was 47-45 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.27 WHIP over 789.2 innings. Making his debut in 2014, Stroman made a name for himself while heroically returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in 2015, an injury that typically ends a player's season.

Stroman was hurt in Spring Training, then managed to work his way back by September. He made four starts that month and won them all, including two against the New York Yankees, to help Toronto win the AL East and end a 21-year playoff drought.

Other than Stroman, there aren't many examples of undersized pitchers succeeding at the MLB level as a starting pitcher. Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga is a couple of inches taller than Taira and about 30 pounds lighter. He has pitched to a 3.45 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP over 492.1 innings in his three-year MLB career. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is about the same size as Imanaga, and Blue Jays fans are familiar with him. But that's about it.

Taira has spent most of his career pitching in the bullpen, which is where some believe MLB teams would prefer him. He's had success there, like in 2025, when Taira pitched to a 1.71 ERA and made 31 saves, exactly half of his career total. But, Taira wants to be a starter. And with a fastball that ranges from mid- to upper-90s and a wide array of pitches, some believe he could be the second-best arm on the free agent market behind Tarik Skubal.

Fangraphs says Taira's delivery creates a flat angle that helps his pitches to miss bats. His velocity holds late in games and he fields his position well. Taira is also reportedly a big fan of analytics, which would fit perfectly with the Blue Jays.

SInce Taira has been posted, teams have 45 days to negoiate with him. Because of his age, there are no restricitions on the length and value of a contract. If Taira doesn't sign with a MLB team when the 45 days are up, he returns to NPB and will have to be posted again next offseason.

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