Imai did not factor into the decision Wednesday against the Giants, allowing three hits and two walks over three scoreless innings. He struck out three.
Making his second appearance in relief for the Astros, Imai managed to work his way through danger -- including a bases-loaded jam in the second inning -- ultimately holding San Francisco scoreless. Imai has now delivered back-to-back scoreless outings out of the bullpen, allowing just three hits while striking out eight over six innings in that span. Overall, his ERA sits at 5.29 this season with a 1.47 WHIP and 80:42 K:BB across 64.2 innings.
Imai is expected to work in bulk relief behind opening pitcher Bryan King during Wednesday's game in San Francisco, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The Astros haven't provided official word that Imai will pitch Wednesday, but he hasn't been used since Aug. 3 and didn't join the team's other relievers in the bullpen for Tuesday's 4-1 loss, which seemingly signaled that he was being saved for the series finale. Since being dropped from the rotation in late July, Imai has made two relief appearances and was sharp in his most recent outing, striking out five over three perfect innings. King will likely cover the first inning or two before giving way to Imai, who should be capable of providing a decent amount of length since he had only recently been removed from a starting role.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Sharp out of bullpen
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Imai didn't factor into the decision Monday against the Blue Jays after striking out five across three perfect innings in relief.
Imai was stellar in his first appearance out of the bullpen for the Astros, as he held Toronto without a baserunner for three innings while striking out the final five batters he faced. It's certainly an encouraging development for Imai, who struggled to a 7.71 ERA across 11.2 innings in his last four starts. In the wake of Monday's successful performance, Houston figures to keep Imai in a bulk-relief role for the time being. Overall, the right-hander carries a 6-4 record with a 5.55 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 77:40 K:BB across 61.2 innings this season.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Moving to bullpen
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Astros manager Joe Espada said Friday that Imai will be moving to the bullpen for the team's weekend series against the Rangers, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Imai struggled in his last start against the Angels on Monday, when he tossed only 12 of 33 pitches for strikes and allowed two runs on one hit and four walks while striking out one batter over two-thirds of an inning. He was in line to start in Sunday's series finale, and while a replacement has yet to been announced, Chandler Rome of The Athletic suggested Thursday that Peter Lambert could be on the mound on short rest.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Chased out in first inning Monday
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Imai did not factor into the decision Monday, allowing two runs on a hit and four walks over two-thirds of an inning against the Angels. He struck out one.
Imai couldn't find the strike zone, throwing just 12 of 33 pitches for strikes and recording only two outs before being lifted in favor of AJ Blubaugh. A late-game rally by the Astros offense kept Imai from taking the loss, but it was still a disastrous outing for the 28-year-old. Control issues have consistently plagued the right-hander, as Monday marked the third time this season he's failed to complete a full inning in a start. Imai's first MLB season has featured a few bright spots but has mostly been a struggle, as he's posted a 5.83 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 72:40 K:BB across 58.2 innings (15 starts). His next start is tentatively scheduled for Sunday against the Rangers.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: No-decision against Washington
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Imai did not factor into Tuesday's decision against the Nationals, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three across 3.2 innings.
Imai put the Astros on the back foot early by giving up a leadoff home run to James Wood. Imai yielded another run in the second and ran up his pitch count to 84 (52 strikes) before being pulled in the fourth inning. He's recorded only 15 outs over his last two starts, which comes after he tossed back-to-back quality starts with 10-plus strikeouts in both of those outings, and he sits at a 6.06 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 52 innings this season. Whether Imai gets one last turn in the rotation before the All-Star break largely depends on whether Ronel Blanco (elbow) will be activated off the 60-day IL for the Astros' weekend road series against the Rangers.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Twirls gem in fifth win
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Imai (5-3) notched the win Thursday against the Tigers, allowing no runs on two hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out 10.
Imai was brilliant on the mound Thursday, scattering two singles over six shutout innings. The 28-year-old right-hander has recorded double-digit strikeouts in back-to-back quality starts, a stretch which comes on the heels of his second-shortest outing of the season June 12 in Kansas City, where he surrendered five runs over two-thirds of an inning. Imai will try to further improve on his 5.36 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 58:25 K:BB in his next scheduled appearance at home versus the Twins.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Fans eight in victory
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Imai (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out eight batters over five innings in a win over the Athletics on Saturday.
Houston scored six runs in the first two innings, allowing Imai to go on cruise control. The right-hander gave up a pair of runs in the third frame but didn't allow the A's to get any closer. Imai racked up an impressive 17 swinging strikes and fell one short of his season-high mark with eight punchouts, though he was pulled after five innings and 92 pitches. That snapped a streak of two straight quality starts, but Imai nonetheless continued to turn things around after a rough beginning to his MLB career. He had an 8.31 ERA through his first five starts spanning 17.1 innings, but he's gone 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA across 17 frames over his subsequent three starts.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Logs six frames in no-hitter
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Imai (2-2) earned the win Monday, allowing no hits and four walks over six scoreless innings against Texas. He struck out two.
Imai totaled just six whiffs and matched a season high with four walks, but he kept the Texas lineup at bay through 97 pitches (57 strikes) before departing after six innings. Steven Okert and Alimber Santa handled the final three frames to complete the first no-hitter of the 2026 season. While the no-hitter is an incredible accomplishment for both Imai and Houston, simply turning in an effective outing was also significant for the southpaw, who has struggled mightily during his first MLB campaign. Despite Monday's gem, Imai still owns a 6.17 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 23:18 K:BB across 23.1 innings (six starts). He'll look to build off the performance next time out, which is tentatively scheduled for Sunday against Milwaukee.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Hurt by long ball in loss
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Imai (1-2) took the loss Monday against the Twins, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks with five strikeouts across 4.2 innings.
All three of the runs against Imai came on a pair of homers by Josh Bell. Otherwise, Imai's stuff looked good, as he generated a season-high 19 whiffs on 74 pitches. In two starts since returning from arm fatigue, Imai has surrendered nine runs on 10 hits and three walks with eight strikeouts across 8.2 innings. He's been hurt by the long ball in both outings, surrendering four round trippers. On the season, Imai owns an ugly 8.31 ERA, 1.79 WHIP and 21:14 K:BB across 17.1 innings. Walks have been a problem, as he'd walked at least three in each of his first four starts before issuing zero Monday.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Back from IL
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The Astros reinstated Imai (arm) from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's game against the Mariners, Julia Morales of Space City Home Network reports.
Imai is ready to rejoin Houston's starting rotation after spending a month on the IL due to right arm fatigue. The 28-year-old built up to just 63 pitches across three innings during his second of two rehab outings, so the Astros plan to limit his workload to around 80-to-85 pitches Tuesday, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Rejoining rotation Tuesday
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Imai (arm) will be reinstated from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday against the Mariners, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The right-hander has been on the shelf about a month due to arm fatigue, but he's ready to re-enter Houston's rotation after two rehab starts in the minor leagues. Imai threw 63 pitches over three innings during his most recent outing with Triple-A Sugar Land this past Tuesday, so he could have some workload limitations in his return. Prior to the absence, the 28-year-old surrendered seven earned runs with a 13:11 K:BB over 8.2 frames in his first three MLB starts.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Rehab moving to Triple-A
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Imai (arm) will make his next rehab appearance Tuesday or Wednesday with Triple-A Sugar Land, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The Japanese right-hander made his first rehab appearance with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, allowing five runs over two innings. Imai struggled to a 7.27 ERA and a 13:11 K:BB in his first three MLB starts before landing on the shelf, so he's likely to need another rehab start or two after next week's outing.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Expected to log another rehab start
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Imai (arm) will make another start during his minor-league rehab assignment in the coming week, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Imai tossed two innings, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two batters during his first rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday. Manager Joe Espada announced Thursday that the right-hander will make another start while on his rehab assignment, though it's currently unclear at what level his next outing will come. Imai has been sidelined since April 13 while recovering from right arm fatigue, and the additional time away may have allowed him to better adjust to life in the United States, which was something else he was reportedly struggling with, per Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Throws off mound
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Imai (arm) threw a bullpen session Monday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
It appears to be the first time he has thrown off the mound since landed on the 15-day injured list a week ago with right arm fatigue. The Astros haven't revealed the next steps for Imai, but it will likely involve facing hitters and perhaps making a rehab start or two. Imai holds a 7.27 ERA and 13:11 K:BB over his first 8.2 innings with Houston.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Sent to IL with arm fatigue
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The Astros placed Imai on the 15-day injured list Monday with right arm fatigue.
Imai recorded just one out in his last start and looks to be going through a "dead arm" phase. The right-hander will be eligible for activation before the end of April, but it's unclear at this juncture whether he will be ready to go by that time. Houston's rotation depth is really being tested, as Imai joins Hunter Brown (shoulder) and Cristian Javier (shoulder) on the 15-day IL. The club also has Ronel Blanco (elbow), Hayden Wesneski (elbow) and Brandon Walter (elbow) on the 60-day IL.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Having right arm examined
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Imai returned to Houston on Saturday and will be examined by team physicians while he contends with right arm fatigue, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Imai is the third Astros starting pitcher to leave Houston's road trip early, with Hunter Brown (shoulder) and Cristian Javier (shoulder) both returning to Houston after landing on the 15-day injured list within the past week. The Houston rotation is beginning to look thin, with Mike Burrows and Lance McCullers currently representing the only starters without an injury designation. Imai sits on a 7.27 ERA through 8.2 innings this season, and the Astros should provide an update on the 27-year-old once he undergoes further testing. For now, his availability for his next turn through the rotation -- which is projected to fall during the Astros' upcoming home series versus the Rockies -- is up in the air.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Chased in first inning
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Imai allowed three runs on one hit, four walks and a hit batsman over one-third of an inning in a no-decision Friday versus the Mariners. He didn't record a strikeout.
Imai's control was absent Friday, as he threw just 17 of 37 pitches for strikes. The first run he allowed came on a wild pitch, and he hit Randy Arozarena with the bases loaded to force in the second run. Imai has had mixed results in his first taste of major-league action so far, pitching to a 7.27 ERA over 8.2 innings while adding a 13:11 K:BB. He's walked at least three batters in all three of his starts. Imai is tentatively lined up to make his next start at home versus the Rockies, as the Astros' injury-riddled rotation likely doesn't have the manpower to shelter him.
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Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Efficient in spring debut
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Imai started Thursday's Grapefruit League matchup against the Mets, allowing one hit in a scoreless inning.
Imai would face the minimum in his spring debut, ultimately needing just 10 pitches to get out of the frame. After giving up an infield single to Marcus Semien, the right-hander coaxed a pop-up off the bat of Mike Tauchman before getting Bo Bichette to ground into a double play. The 27-year-old Imai is expected to play a big part in an Astros rotation that lost Framber Valdez in free agency. Imai signed a three-year deal with Houston after posting a stellar 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts across 163.2 innings in 2025 with the NPB's Seibu Lions.
