Astros' stunning agreement with Tatsuya Imai puts another dagger in rival

The Houston Astros have been searching for a starting pitcher all offseason, and on New Year's Day, they shocked the entire baseball world after agreeing to terms with Japanese pitching sensation Tatsuya Imai. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Imai's contract can max out at $63 million.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers is reporting that Imai's deal with Houston will cover three years and includes opt outs. The deal is reportedly the largest average annual value (AAV) for any Japanese pitcher coming stateside outside of Yoshinobu Yamamoto's agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that Imai's base salary will be $18 million with performance bonuses that can elevate the overall value of the contract.

But while Astros fans are undoubtedly happy to see another frontline starter added to the team's rotation, it's also quite fulfilling to see the New York Yankees strike out once again. While several NL teams were said to be targeting Imai this offseason, the Yankees were the only AL contender who were seeking a deal for the Japanese right-hander. This would appear to be yet another win for Astros owner Jim Crane, and another loss for Hall Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman, and the Yankees.

Astros deal for Tatsuya Imai derails Yankees' offseason plans

According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, Imai had longer-term deals on the table, but Houston's AAV pushed the Astros' deal over the finish line. One can assume that the Yankees were one of those teams who attempted to sign Imai to a longer-term deal with a lower AAV.

The Astros can now count on the trio of Imai, Hunter Brown, and the newly acquired Mike Burrows atop the starting rotation heading into the 2026 season. Throw in Christian Javier, Jason Alexander, Spencer Arrighetti, and Lance McCullers Jr., and Houston all of the sudden has a very viable rotation as they're set to approach spring training next month.

Imai, 27, has spent the last eight seasons playing for the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball. The right-hander has covered at least 150 innings over the past five seasons, and last year, owned a sparkling 1.92 ERA over 163 innings of work. He struck out 178 batters and posted a 0.892 WHIP. This is quite the get for GM Dana Brown and Houston's front office.