Tatsuya Imai Stays With Astros for 2027 After Difficult MLB Debut
Tatsuya Imai will stay with the Houston Astros in 2027 on an $18 million salary after a difficult rookie season and a move to the bullpen.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
HOUSTON — Tatsuya Imai will remain with the Houston Astros in 2027 after deciding not to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, a decision reported Thursday, October 29. The Japanese right-hander is due an $18 million salary next season, giving both sides another year to find a way forward after his difficult first campaign in Major League Baseball.
Imai signed a three-year, $54 million agreement in January after eight seasons with the Saitama Seibu Lions. His deal includes another opportunity to opt out following the 2027 season.
Promising strikeout numbers could not hide command problems
The 28-year-old finished 2026 with a 6-4 record and a 4.93 ERA in 23 appearances, including 15 starts. He struck out 97 batters in 76 2/3 innings but also issued 51 walks, a recurring problem that prevented him from consistently working deep into games.
Houston moved Imai to the bullpen in late July after he posted a 5.83 ERA as a starter. He was more effective in relief, recording a 2.00 ERA across 18 innings, although many of those outings came in low-leverage situations. Earlier in the season, arm fatigue had also sent him to the injured list.
There were flashes of the pitcher who dominated in Japan. On May 25, Imai threw the first six innings of a combined no-hitter against the Texas Rangers, the only no-hitter in MLB in 2026. His 28.7% strikeout rate showed that his pitches could still miss bats, but his 15.1% walk rate underscored the control issues he must address.
Can Imai earn another chance in Houston’s rotation?
Before moving to Houston, Imai went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts over 163 2/3 innings for Seibu in 2025. That success made him one of the more intriguing Japanese pitchers entering MLB, but the transition proved far from straightforward.
The Astros have rotation questions heading into 2027, leaving open the possibility that Imai could compete for a starting role again. Nothing about his position in next year’s staff is settled, however. His decision to stay guarantees another season in Houston, not a return to the rotation.
For Imai, the next year is a chance to turn his swing-and-miss ability into more dependable innings. For the Astros, it is another opportunity to recover the value of a significant international signing.
