Astros' Tatsuya Imai bounces back with 9 Ks in 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball vs. A's in second MLB start
After a rough MLB debut, Imai had the Athletics' number on Saturday.
Tatsuya Imai felt some nerves last week during his MLB debut against the Los Angeles Angels. The former Nippon Professional Baseball ace, whom the Houston Astros signed to a three-year deal reportedly worth up to $63 million , struggled with his command and gave up four walks and four runs in 2 2/3 innings. The Astros won that day, but the three-time Japanese All-Star didn’t look like himself.
He discussed afterward how the major-league atmosphere and a difference in the slope of the MLB mound were things he needed to adjust to. Whatever tinkering the right-handed pitcher did over the next week seemingly did the trick. Imai returned to form on Saturday against the Athletics, spinning 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball while piling up nine strikeouts during his second start in the bigs.
He walked three batters, but he made it through nearly six frames, earning the win as the Astros (6-3) coasted to an 11-0 victory over the A’s (2-6). Nine strikeouts on the day for Tatsuya Imai in his second career start 🔥 pic. twitter.
com/WTUy4zeAyO — MLB (@MLB) April 4, 2026 After signing his contract with the Astros, Imai reportedly earned the second-highest average-annual salary of any Japanese-born MLB pitcher , behind only Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 27-year-old righty was coming off an impressive 2025 NPB campaign, in which he posted a 1. 92 ERA with 178 strikeouts over 163 2/3 innings for the Seibu Lions.