Tatsuya Imai's struggles highlight the risks that the Astros did not plan for

Eric Cole

Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) reacts / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Much has been made about Tatsuya Imai's struggles since joining the Houston Astros. There were concerns about whether his skills would translate to the major leagues even before he signed. Since signing, Imai's tenure has been a bit of a rollercoaster as he has tried to adjust to the mounds in MLB as well as showcase what he is capable of. With the news that Imai was being placed on the injured list due to what is currently being described as arm fatigue, the picture became even cloudier.

However, it is Imai's explanation for his issues that raises a concern that the Astros may have overlooked or under-estimated when they went out and added Imai. We already knew that Imai was initially overwhelmed in camp before some of his teammates brought Imai into their circle, and that the new MLB mounds have given him some issues. Unfortunately, it sounds like Imai's adjustment (or lack thereof) to living in a new country has continued to be a problem.

Through an interpreter, Tatsuya Imai said he is "just not able to adjust to the American lifestyle, other than baseball. Baseball and outside of baseball. That’s probably the reason" for his arm fatigue.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 14, 2026

Tatsuya Imai's adjustment to playing in the US and in MLB is proving to be much more difficult than anticipated

Now, the conspiracy theorists are already starting to pop up and say that there is a deeper injury concern at the root of Imai's struggles and that the team and Imai are trying to hide it. Given the Astros' history of being less-than-transparent with injuries, we can respect a good tinfoil hat theory as much as anyone.

That said, Imai's explanation does make sense if you put oneself in his shoes. Imai didn't know anyone in Houston before he signed, and let's face it, Houston is VERY different from Japan. That he could have been pressing more than he should have, while also feeling a ton of stress being in a new country where even basic communication can be difficult, is a plausible explanation for why he has had such a tough time.

Unfortunately, it is also a problem that can be difficult to fix. Imai can get reps on the new mound to gain more and more comfort, but there isn't a guarantee that his pitches will look the same from a different angle, and needing additional reps probably won't help with fatigue issues. It seems like the Astros' clubhouse is a welcoming place, and both sides will find ways to mesh better and make Imai feel more welcome. That just takes time when there is a real language barrier, even if everyone has the best intentions.

Given that Houston is hanging on for dear life already this season, time is not a luxury that the Astros have much of. That said, they may have no other choice but to be patient when it comes to Imai and hope that he turns things around.

Eric Cole

I started my career writing about baseball covering the Atlanta Braves for SB Nation's Talking Chop back in 2015 which has since been renamed Battery Power. After years of writing for those fine folks, I made the decision to take over as Site Expert at House That Hank Built before becoming a full-time MLB Staff Writer for FanSided in 2023. Along the way, I have been a guest on multiple ESPN radio affiliates as well as 680 The Fan and 92.9 The Game to discuss Braves baseball and especially Braves prospects and was a long-time host on the Battery Power podcast. These days, I continue to write about the Braves as well as covering the Astros, Padres, and Angels with particular expertise with minor league coverage, the MLB Draft, and bashing Anthony Rendon when possible. When I am not writing about or talking about baseball (which is seldom), I am an avid baseball card collector (Maddux and Soroka being my primary personal collections) and I also collect shark teeth. All other sports are mostly dead to me as my Bills have broken my heart too many times.