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 final rehab outing, 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: Next start will be in majors
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Astros general manager Dana Brown said Tuesday that Imai (arm) will rejoin the rotation next week versus the Mariners, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
If Imai is kept on a schedule of five days of rest in between starts, he'll be in line to start Monday's series opener. He made his second rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Sugar Land, allowing one run on one hit with a 3:5 K:BB over three innings. Imai, who is coming back from fatigue in his pitching arm, threw 63 pitches Tuesday, so he will not be ready for a full workload in his first start back with the big club.
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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: Struggles in first rehab start
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Imai (arm) was charged with five runs on six hits and three walks over two innings in his first rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday.
It's not the bottom-line result the Astros were looking for from Imai, who threw 59 pitches over his two innings of work. The Japanese right-hander will require at least one more rehab outing as he continues to ramp back up. Imai has been sidelined for more than two weeks with fatigue in his pitching arm.
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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.
