The Houston Astros kicked off 2026 with a bang by adding Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai to their pitching staff. Imai, 27, was one of a handful of talented players from the NPB to be available on the free agent market this winter, Houston signed Imai to a three-year contract, which can max out at $63 million, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome. Rome notes that Imai has the second-highest average annual value among Japanese-born players, with his compatriot and World Series Champion Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-year, $325 million) being the highest. Imai is coming off one of his best seasons in the NPB, going 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA in 24 games and striking out 178 batters in 163.2 innings. The one issue with Imai, which led some teams to hesitate to sign him, was his walks: a career BB/9 of 4.4. The Astros, despite a lack of star power in their starting rotation, had one of the better staffs in baseball in 2025, with a 3.97 starters ERA (14th), led by All-Star and top three Cy Young Award finisher Hunter Brow
