Tatsuya Imai Will Not Opt Out Of Astros Deal

Right-hander Tatsuya Imai will not opt out of his deal with the Astros, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He will make $18MM in both 2027 and 2028, though he will have another opt-out chance a year from now. Imai was first making the move from Japan to North America last winter. His final seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball were dominant, as he posted an earned run average around 2.00 in those. However, he had struggled with control for most of his career, posting walk rates well north of 10% in many seasons. He got that down to 9.8% in 2024 and then 7% in 2025, leading to some optimism that he had turned a corner in that department. But on the other hand, the NPB had a dead ball in those years, which may have made it easier for Imai to just fill up the zone and not get burned. There was some thought that Imai’s upside might allow him to secure a nine-figure deal. It seems the uncertainty with his profile prevented him from getting there. He secured a three-year, $54MM guarantee from the Astros. That deal featured opt-outs after each season, giving Imai the path to greater earnings down the line if he hit or approached his ceiling. One year in, it seems the concerns were warranted. Imai struggled badly with control and eventually got pushed to the bullpen. He finished the season with 76 2/3 innings pitched over 15 starts and eight relief appearances. He had a huge 28.7% strikeout rate but gave out walks at a massive 15.1% pace. The end result was a 4.93 earned run average. Given that performance, Imai’s decision is not a surprise. He wasn’t going to find a robust market after that volatile season. He will return to Houston and make a healthy salary. If he has a breakout in 2027, his age-29 season, he will have another chance to return to free agency. Imai may have to battle for opportunities. At the moment, the Astros project to have Hunter Brown, Peter Lambert and Hayden Wesneski in three rotation spots. Imai, Cristian Javier, Ronel Blanco, Mike Burrows, Ethan Pecko, Kai-Wei Teng and others would be in the mix for back-end spots. The club will surely look to add external additions this offseason. Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina, Imagn Images View Comments (12)