Astros Set Return for Injured Rookie Pitcher for Mariners Series

It's not a return of the entire opening-day starting rotation for the Houston Astros. But it is a start.

Per Chandler Rome of The Athletic on X (formerly Twitter), the Astros will activate and start Tatsuya Imai on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners.

Before Sunday's game against Cincinnati, Houston’s entire rotation for the series was TBD. Rome also reported that Peter Lambert will take the ball on Monday in the series opener.

But getting Imai back could be a significant boost for the Astros, even though his injury led to much conversation about his ability to adjust to Major League Baseball.

Tatsuya Imai’s Rough Start

Imai joined the Astros on a three-year contract after a successful career in his native Japan in the NPB. He signed with Houston just before his posting period expired. The deal has opt-outs after each of the first two seasons. But his time with the Astros has been rough.

Imai started three games for Houston before he landed on the injured list, as he went 1-0 with a 7.27 ERA, with 13 strikeouts and 11 walks in 8.2 innings. His best start was against the Athletics on April 4 when he went 5.2 innings, allowing three hits and three walks against nine strikeouts.

But, in his start against Seattle on April 10, he left the game after recording one out after he allowed one hit and three walks. The Astros put him on the injured list on April 13 with right arm fatigue. That led to a conversation about his adjustment to the Majors.

For one, Imai continued with his typical between starts training schedule, which included a bullpen the day before his start. Traditionally, MLB starters throw their bullpen two days before a start. He also indicated that he was having trouble adjusting to MLB’s slightly larger baseball and the schedule. Notably, MLB players eat in the clubhouse before and after the game. Japanese players typically return to their hotel and then eat.

But the Astros need some length in the starting rotation — any length they can get. At some point, Houston must drop him in the rotation and give him an opportunity to show them that he's made the adjustment and gotten healthy. Tuesday will be the first step in determining just how much help he can give the rotation until other pieces can return.

Two other members of the opening-day starting rotation are on the injured list. Opening-day starter Hunter Brown is beginning to work his way from a Grade 2 right shoulder strain that may keep him out until June. Cristian Javier has the same injury but is on the 60-day injured list and will need more time to recover.

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