Is the “3-year, ¥20 billion offer” real? A full breakdown of the Giants’ pursuit
Hello, Giants fans!
This has been one of the most requested topics lately — “Is Yomiuri really close to signing Kohei Arihara?”
Now that Arihara has officially become a free agent after parting ways with SoftBank, he’s easily one of the biggest names on the market. And yes — the Giants are aggressively pursuing him as a must-sign frontline starter.
Here’s the complete, up-to-date situation as of December 2, 2025, based on reports from Nikkan Sports, Sports Hochi, Nikkan Gendai, and fan discussions across X.
Why the Giants Want Arihara: Fixing a Broken Rotation Is Priority No.1
1. A rotation full of holes
2024 was a tough year for the pitching staff:
- Tomoyuki Sugano left for MLB
- Ace Shohei Togo struggled (8–9, 4.14 ERA)
- Iori Yamasaki’s 11 wins were a bright spot, but injuries destroyed rotation depth
- Young arms like Akahoshi and Inoue also missed significant time
- Manager Abe enters his second season aiming for the Giants’ first Japan Series title in 14 years
The Giants survived mostly on bullpen strength and ended up 3rd, falling short in the Climax Series.
As fans would say: “No more rotation meltdowns.”
2. Arihara is the definition of an instant-impact ace
- Back-to-back most wins titles in the Pacific League (2024, 2025)
- A ¥400 million–class starter for SoftBank
- Fully revived after his MLB stint
- Excellent numbers at Tokyo Dome (7–1, 2.40 ERA)
- 2025 complete-game shutout vs Fighters
- Monthly MVP and career-best performances across the board
For the Giants, he’s truly a “missing piece — a potential savior.”
Korean fans even praise him as “one of the best starters in NPB right now.”
Status of Negotiations: Giants Preparing a Serious ¥20 Billion Offer
1. Official talks begin December 2
Arihara is being officially posted as a free agent today after being removed from SoftBank’s reserved roster.
The Giants have been doing background checks since late November and are ready to move the moment he hits the market.
SoftBank has already offered a multi-year deal to keep him, while Arihara himself remains open to another shot at MLB.
American media confirms multiple MLB teams are monitoring him.
2. Reported terms from the Giants
- 3 years, approx. ¥20 billion (with incentives)
- A base close to his current ¥400 million but structured like an “MLB-level” contract
- Expected to be an Opening Day starter
- Giants alumni reportedly saying: “If you want someone to replace Sugano, Arihara is the only answer.”
For the Giants’ typical contract scale, this number isn’t unrealistic — which is why these reports are gaining traction.
3. The competition
- Several MLB teams (projecting him as a mid-rotation starter)
- NPB clubs like Rakuten also showing interest
- However, most domestic reports still list the Giants as the frontrunner
With pitchers like Yuya Yanagi (FA) and Kenta Maeda (potential NPB return) circling the market, this offseason is unusually crowded.
But the Giants have been targeting Arihara as their top priority from day one.
If Arihara Signs with the Giants: Projected 2025 Rotation
Fans on X are already hyped:
- “If Arihara joins, this rotation is rock solid.”
- “This could make the Giants real contenders again.”
- “Abe plus this staff = championship potential.”
A realistic rotation projection:
Togo – Arihara – Yamasaki – Akahoshi – Inoue – Yokokawa (or a new foreign starter)
A very believable scenario.
But if Arihara chooses MLB, everything changes dramatically — and fans know it:
- “Is this going to be another Sugano-to-MLB situation?”
- “惜しい…”
The swing in outcomes is massive.
Conclusion: Everything Depends on Arihara’s MLB Ambition
Summary as of December 2:
- Giants preparing a 3-year, ¥20B-level contract
- SoftBank is pushing hard to retain him
- MLB teams are seriously scouting
- Giants remain the “domestic favorite,” but Arihara’s MLB desire will dictate the final decision
This is year two for Manager Abe — and the last year of his contract.
The front office clearly sees Arihara as “the one player they cannot afford to miss.”
Once negotiations advance, I’ll post another detailed update!
So what’s your prediction — Giants or MLB?
Let me know your thoughts!
#GoGiants #KoheiArihara #GiantsOffseason2025
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