Tatsuya Imai’s search for a new team has come to an end. The right-handed pitcher has reached a three-year deal with the Houston Astros worth $54 million, according to an anonymous source familiar with the talks who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday.
Imai’s contract includes a $2 million signing bonus, a $16 million salary for the first year, and $18 million for each of the next two seasons. Additionally, he could earn up to $3 million in performance bonuses this year, with $1 million awarded for reaching the 80th, 90th, and 100th innings pitched. His salaries for 2027 and 2028 might increase depending on the bonuses earned in 2026, potentially pushing the contract’s total value to $63 million over three years. Imai has the option to opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
The deal must be finalized by 5 p.m. ET on Friday due to the posting agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. Several teams including the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres were rumored to be in the running, making the Astros’ agreement somewhat unexpected.
At 27, Imai spent eight seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball with the Saitama Seibu Lions, pitching in 187 games with 1,077.2 innings, a 3.07 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 1,045 strikeouts. He had a standout 2024 season with career-best marks of a 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. FOX Sports MLB analyst Rowan Kavner ranked him 17th among free agents this offseason, noting his steady improvement in strikeouts and walk rates and comparing him favorably to World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Imai joins the 2025 Astros, who finished second in the American League West but missed the postseason. The team retains ace Hunter Brown but could also aim to sign free agent Framber Valdez for the long term.
With this contract, Imai has the third-highest average annual salary of any Japanese pitcher entering MLB, trailing only Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($27.08 million with the ) and Masahiro Tanaka ($22.14 million with the Yankees). Under the posting agreement, Seibu will receive a $9.675 million posting fee plus 15% of earned bonuses and options exercised.
Fan Take: This signing is significant because it highlights MLB’s growing appeal to top talent from Japan, signaling a deeper integration of global baseball talent. For fans, it means the Astros are serious about strengthening their rotation with proven international stars, possibly reshaping the balance of power in the American League.
