Astros Sign Japanese Pitcher Tatsuya Imai to 3-Year Deal

Houston, Texas - Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old right-hander known for his high-velocity fastball, agreed to a three-year contract with the Houston Astros on Thursday, filling a key gap in their starting rotation just before his posting window expired.

The deal, valued at up to $63 million, includes $18 million guaranteed annually, with performance incentives that could increase each year's salary to $21 million based on reaching 80, 90, and 100 innings pitched. Imai has the option to opt out after the first two seasons, providing flexibility as he transitions to Major League Baseball. The agreement came as a surprise to many observers, as the Astros had not been prominently linked to Imai during his free agency process. His 45-day window to sign with an MLB team closed on January 2, after which he would have returned to Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league.

Imai spent the past eight seasons with the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League, where he established himself as one of the top starters in the circuit. Last season, he posted a 1.92 earned-run average over 163 2/3 innings, striking out 178 batters while walking 45 and allowing 101 hits. Across his NPB...