The Houston Astros pitching rotation looked quite different to begin this season. There were high expectations for the rebuilt starting rotation to come through, as the front office had invested heavily in it.
Arguably the biggest and most hyped-up signing was that of Japanese starting righty Tatsuya Imai.
Following the emergence of Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Los Angeles Dodgers and winning World Series MVP, interest in Imai was as high as ever.
Astros Pitcher Tatsuya Imai Is Taking a Huge Step Forward
When the Astros signed Imai to a three-year, $54 million deal with a chance to go up to $63 million on New Year’s Day, there was a lot of excitement among the fanbase about potentially having a Japanese ace in the rotation. It ended up being a rough start to the season for Imai, who was eventually sent down to Triple-A Sugar Land after a disastrous third start, in which he went only a third of an inning and gave up three earned runs.
The Culture Change for Tatsuya Imai
It was said to be arm soreness for Imai, who had a lot of issues initially adjusting to the American culture and MLB. He struggled with the mound, the new baseball, the new schedule, and multiple new translators. Having no other Japanese players on the roster didn’t make it easy. There was no doubt it would take some time for him to get used to the new setup.
His first two outings showed his potential, and after his time off and reset, the improvement was clear each time he took the mound. Imai’s 5.2 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts set the table for what was expected. He’s now really come into his own and delivered for the most part.
What’s Changed For Tatsuya Imai
The first step forward came on May 18 against the Minnesota Twins. After giving up six earned runs in four innings against the Seattle Mariners in his first game back, Imai only gave up three earned runs in 4.2 innings. It wasn’t anything significant, but he started to pitch more in the zone. He threw 74 pitches, with 53 of them for strikes.
Arguably, Imai’s most special moment so far was when he was the starting pitcher for the Astros’ combined no-hitter on May 25 at the Texas Rangers. He threw six hitless innings on 97 pitches and set up history for Houston. The confidence seemed to have gone up after that as he followed it up with another quality start of six innings of two-run ball with just three hits. He also emptied the tank with 110 pitches.
Tatsuya Imai’s Strikeouts Numbers
Imai wasn’t drawing as many strikeouts as he is right now. It’s clear that his stuff has improved, and the location of it draws swings and misses. His slider is so unique and moves the other way. It’s been called the “wrong way” slider and has confused many batters. The timing and command of those pitches are the key to him staying successful.
After his poor outing at the Kansas City Royals, where he could only go 0.2 innings and gave up five earned runs, Imai made a huge bounce-back performance. That statement of a game announced that he’s clearly turned a corner even after a setback.
Imai had another quality start and pitched six innings of three-run ball against the Cleveland Guardians. The key part was his 11 strikeouts with 0 walks. Imai giving a free pass had been a real issue for him at the start of the year, but those numbers have gone down in June. That performance was only on 89 pitches, with 57 for strikes.
I-45, as Astros fans call him, put up another quality start against the Detroit Tigers. This was probably the best outing of his career so far. Imai threw six shutout innings and gave up only two hits and a walk. He struck out 10 and threw 96 pitches.
The Analytics on Tatsuya Imai
Imai’s whiff rate of 32.3 percent is ranked in the 91st percentile according to Baseball Savant, and his K rate of 28.7 percent is in the 89th percentile. His breaking run value is also in the great category. Imai’s walk percentage, at just over 12 percent, still needs improvement. Either way, it’s no surprise that Imai’s primary pitch is the slider, used 45 percent of the time. It has elite numbers, including a .172 batting average and a 42 percent whiff rate.
After an extremely high ERA to begin the season, Imai is now down to a 5.36 mark in 11 games with a 5-3 record. He has 58 strikeouts in 47 total innings. The Astros need the 28-year-old to continue this streak. It was a lot of adjustment for him, but Imai looks strong and comfortable on the mound. If Imai is reliable, this Astros rotation can really be for real.
Main Photo Credits: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
