Tatsuya Imai

Tatsuya Imai (Houston Astros) was drafted first overall by the Seibu Lions in 2018 out of Sakushin Gakuin High School in Tochigi Prefecture. He overcame early shoulder injuries and emerged as a dominant ace from 2022 onward — claiming the NPB strikeout title in 2024 and posting a career-best 1.92 ERA in 2025. Armed with a mid-90s fastball, a diving forkball, and a sharp slider, Imai signed a 3-year, $54 million deal with the two-time World Series champion Houston Astros in January 2026 via the posting system. At age 28 with seven years of NPB refinement behind him, he made the Opening Day rotation and is now competing alongside Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia Jr. in one of MLB's best starting rotations. His 2026 Astros stats, start-by-start results, and ERA trends are updated daily on this site.

• 1Made the Astros' Opening Day rotation in 2026, joining Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia Jr. in a formidable starting five. He is one of the key arms the two-time World Series champions are counting on for another postseason run
• 2Signed a 3-year, $54 million contract with the Houston Astros in January 2026 via the posting system. Houston's elite pitching coaches and pitcher-friendly home park (Minute Maid Park) make it an ideal environment for Imai to thrive
• 3Won the NPB strikeout title in 2024 and followed it up with a career-best 1.92 ERA in 2025 — arriving at his MLB debut in peak form at age 28, after seven years of refinement in NPB
• 4Features a mid-90s (150km/h+) fastball paired with a sharp forkball and slider. His ability to generate swinging strikes with multiple pitch types gives him genuine upside as a front-of-rotation arm in the majors
• 5