Here’s a summary of the baseball news from the provided text:
* Yankees & Tatsuya Imai: The Yankees seem hesitant to pursue Japanese pitcher tatsuya Imai, with manager Aaron Boone admitting no meeting has been scheduled and uncertainty about future contact. This has led to speculation that the Chicago Cubs are now the frontrunners to sign him, with a deadline of January 2nd.
* Mets Spending: Mets owner Steve Cohen has refuted reports of a limited payroll, stating he expects it to be at least as high as last year’s $342 million. This signals the Mets are willing to spend significantly on free agents, possibly targeting both a starting pitcher and a power hitter.
* Munetaka Murakami: The market for Japanese outfielder Munetaka Murakami is unclear. Concerns about his defence and strikeout rate have cooled initial excitement, and he may be open to a short-term deal to rebuild his value.
