{"id":118883,"date":"2026-04-14T21:01:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T01:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=118883"},"modified":"2026-04-14T21:01:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T01:01:11","slug":"can-tatsuya-imai-become-next-yoshinobu-yamamoto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/04\/14\/can-tatsuya-imai-become-next-yoshinobu-yamamoto\/","title":{"rendered":"Astros’ Tatsuya Imai Drawing Comparisons to Dodgers Phenom"},"content":{"rendered":"

While the impact of Japanese talent has played a role in MLB for decades, it has arguably increased over the past half-decade. A lot of that influence has to do with Shohei Ohtani<\/a>. He is considered by many to already be one of the greatest players in the history of the game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The talent continues to pour in from Japan, and the Houston Astros have now taken their first steps in that market in 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Astros made the massive signing of Japanese right-handed starter Tatsuya Imai<\/a> at the start of the new year. Imai was one of the top names from Japan expected to join a major league team, and it was a bit of a surprise that Houston was the one that got him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This was a big step forward for the Astros, who hadn\u2019t gone down this pathway before. It ended up being a perfect fit for their rotation<\/a> at the time. Houston signed Imai to a three-year, $54 million deal, and expectations remain high for him to perform in Space City.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Imai quickly adjusted to Houston\u2019s culture and had a great spring training with a 0.00 ERA in three starts (six innings total), it\u2019s been a different story in the regular season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Start of Tatsuya Imai\u2019s MLB Career<\/h2>\n

Imai just went 2 2\/3 innings in his first start of the season at Daikin Park and gave up four runs and four walks. It was certainly going to take an adjustment period for the Kanuma, Japan native who had a lot of change to deal with, from the baseball to the mound to the catcher. The command was off with just 36 strikes in 74 pitches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His second start of the season on the road against the Athletics was completely different. Imai went 5 2\/3 scoreless innings and allowed only three hits. He struck out nine and walked three in 94 pitches, 58 of them for strikes. That was the kind of steady improvement expected for Imai during the beginning of the season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Life is a highway.#ChaseTheFight<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jDNCjFV4fG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Houston Astros (@astros) April 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n