Overview
- Multiple outlets report Imai has agreed to join Houston, with the deal pending a physical and not yet announced by the club.
- Reports say the contract guarantees $54 million with incentives lifting the total to $63 million and includes opt-outs after each season.
- The agreement would trigger an NPB posting fee to the Seibu Lions under the MLB–NPB formula tied to the contract’s value.
- Imai, 27, is coming off a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts in 163 2/3 NPB innings in 2025, with a mid‑90s fastball and slider, and his AAV ranks among the highest for a Japanese-born pitcher.
- The move is expected to bolster Houston’s rotation as the team addresses starting‑pitching needs, with the posting window for Imai’s MLB negotiations closing this week.