Are Astros Lining Up Tatsuya Imai to be the Fourth Starter?

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 14: Tatsuya Imai #45 of the Houston Astros throws a bullpen during spring training workouts at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 14, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images Looking at the schedule and the Astros’ plan to open with a 5-man rotation, there are certainly clues. Back on January 5th, at the press conference introducing SP Tatsuya Imai, Astros manager Joe Espada said the team would likely employ a 6-man rotation frequently this season and that we would “probably see it from the get-go.

” With 26 games in 28 days to open the season, and their new prized pitcher used to pitching once a week in Japan, it seemed to make the most sense the Astros would utilize the 6-man rotation as much as possible to keep things as close to “normal” for Imai as they could as he adapted to the MLB schedule and level of play. A little over a week ago, that started to change, and the Astros were unsure whether they would go 5-man or 6-man to start the year. That question was answered today by the manager.

Astros manager Joe Espada said the club will open the season with a five-man rotation. — Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 21, 2026 That definitive statement was made before the Astros took on the Mets in Port St. Lucie today, in their penultimate Grapefruit League game of the 2026 season.

It was a game stated by Mike Burrows, who followed Hunter Brown as the Astros line up their rotation for the season. Cristian Javier will pitch tomorrow. Imai, who hasn’t pitched since he threw 3 shutout innings March 11, is scheduled to pitch Monday (March 23) in Houston against the Space Cowboys.