Astros just found the bargain of the offseason if Tatsuya Imai matches lofty comps

One of the primary reasons the Houston Astros were able to sneak in and sign Tatsuya Imai at the last minute was the conflicted projections for the Japanese right-hander. Early offseason predictions suggested that Imai was going to be a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher upon his arrival, but as teams looked over his profile, those projections proved to be a reach.

Still, at 27 years old with impressive swing-and-miss stuff in Japan, it makes sense as to why the Astros took a gamble on Imai. If there was a team that was going to get the most out of Imai, it would be Houston. That's why, when all is said and done, the Astros may have just landed the steal of the offseason.

If Astros unlock Tatsuya Imai, they may have made the best deal of the offseason

It may all come down to Imai's fastball. He reached triple digits with the pitch during his time in Japan, but there's been some concern that the movement may not fool opposing hitters. The good news is that The Athletic's (subscription required) Eno Sarris is not among those concerned.

In looking at Imai's fastball, Sarris places him in a group that includes Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan and Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo. Sarris adds that if Imai's velocity reaches the higher end of what he featured overseas, then the Astros are looking at a version of Ryan with added velocity.

For reference, Ryan earned an All-Star selection last season with the Twins while posting a 3.42 ERA and struck out over 28% of the hitters he faced. In other words, there's a chance that Imai becomes a clear replacement for Framber Valdez's spot in the Astros' rotation.

It brings us back to the idea that the Astros were wise to take a gamble with this move. Imai's contract is structured to the point where it has a base AAV that pays him of the caliber of a middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, but escalators that could drive the number up. Not to mention, an opt-out after each year of the deal. Each side is protected.

If the Astros were going to make a significant upgrade this offseason, there was a need for them to get creative. They did that with Imai, and now it's up to them to ensure they have a bargain on their hands.