Tatsuya Imai's interpreter may have accidentally fueled unnecessary Astros drama

The English language can be hard for anyone, but especially for a baseball player making the jump to Major League Baseball. It's been a bumpy start to Tatsuya Imai's MLB career with the Houston Astros. Imai landed on the IL after just three starts, and more concerning, he admitted to having trouble adjusting to living in the US. It was a concerning reveal, considering the importance Imai has to the Astros this season, but one that may have lacked context.

The Astros don't exactly have a stellar track record of implementing players from Japan, and the awkwardness that has surrounded Imai over the past month has opened the door to speculation. The Athletic's Stephen J. Nesbitt and Sam Blum (subscription required) took a second look at Imai's decision, wondering if the drama stems simply from the team he chose.

They look at how Munetaka Murakami has quickly adapted to life with the Chicago White Sox and Kazuma Okamoto with the Toronto Blue Jays, while also giving mentions to the recent track record of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs with players making the jump from Japan.

It's a compelling piece and one that certainly makes you wonder if the Astros were ready, or, at the very least, understood what would be needed for Imai's adjustment. Highlighting that concern is that it seems Imai's interview from a couple of weeks ago may have been a true case of information being lost in translation.

The Astros' handling of Tatsuya Imai is trending in the wrong direction

No one would really bat an eye over Imai admitting to having difficulty in making the transition from Japan to the US. Humans are often routine by nature, and suddenly, a routine that Imai has been used to for most of his playing career has been turned upside down.

The impression from Yusei Kikuchi and Scott Boras is that this is probably what Imai was trying to convey during his interview, but the interpretation came off slightly more intense and dramatic.

First and foremost, the Astros need to make sure Imai is healthy. None of this matters if Imai isn't the pitcher the Astros expect him to be. If Houston is going to turn their season around, they need Imai to look like an ascending pitcher that can be placed near the top of the rotation. Of course, work may be needed behind the scenes.

One change that may be needed is with Imai's interpreter. If Imai is saying one thing, but his interpreter is saying something else, that's problematic. It wouldn't be the first time it happened; the Cubs switched Seiya Suzuki's interpreter after concerns over how their messaging was being relayed. If it's needed, the hope is that the Astros make the change soon instead of letting the problems linger.

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