Particle.news
Download on the App Store
14 ARTICLES
·
yesterday

Astros Introduce Tatsuya Imai on Three-Year Deal as Righty Declines WBC to Focus on MLB

Houston says the signing launches a wider Pacific Rim scouting push.

Image
Image
Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai sits with General Manager Dana Brown, left, and his agent, Scott Boras, during a news conference introducing the Japanese pitcher at Daikin Park in Houston, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. Imai, 27, was an All-Star last season with the Seibu Lions in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games. Among qualified pitchers, Imai posted the lowest WHIP (0.89) in the Pacific League, while ranking second with 178 strikeouts in his 163.2 innings pitched.
Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai walks off the stage after posing for photos with his new cap and jersey during a news conference introducing the Japanese pitcher at Daikin Park in Houston, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. Imai, 27, was an All-Star last season with the Seibu Lions in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games. Among qualified pitchers, Imai posted the lowest WHIP (0.89) in the Pacific League, while ranking second with 178 strikeouts in his 163.2 innings pitched.

Overview

  • Imai’s contract is three years and $54 million with player opt-outs after the first two seasons and innings-based escalators that can lift the value to $63 million.
  • He confirmed he will skip the 2026 World Baseball Classic to prioritize acclimating with the Astros in his first MLB season.
  • Manager Joe Espada signaled Houston will lean on a six-man rotation, likely from Opening Day, to manage early workloads with a dense April schedule.
  • Owner Jim Crane and GM Dana Brown outlined newly placed scouts in Tokyo, Seoul and Taiwan as the club deepens its Asian talent pipeline, aided by ties to ballpark partner Daikin.
  • The 27-year-old arrived from NPB’s Seibu Lions after a 2025 season with a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts, and he said he chose Houston to make a serious run at a World Series.