Thursday at 07:20 PM1 day BATatsuya Imai, RHP BA Grade: 60 | Risk: Low | Adjusted: 60Born: May 9, 1998 | B-T: R-R | HT: 5-11 | WT: 154Track Record: After winning the 2016 Summer Koshien tournament with Sakushin Gakuin, Imai made the jump directly from high school to Japanese professional baseball. He was drafted by the Seibu Lions with their first pick and spent his debut season with their Eastern League affiliate, the equivalent of Japan’s minor leagues. He broke in with Seibu’s first team in 2018 and saw mixed results over his first three seasons. He established himself as one of the top pitchers in the NPB in 2021, earning his first all-star nod. Imai was an all-star twice more in 2024 and 2025 and finished in the top 10 among starters in ERA each of his final two seasons with Seibu. Imai helped combine for a Lions no-hitter on April 18, 2025, throwing the first eight innings. On Nov. 18, 2025, Seibu posted Imai to MLB teams. Scouting Report: Imai is an undersized righthander who’s explosive and mobile on the mound. His low three-quarters slot borders on sidearm and creates a unique approach angle to the plate that creates deception and keeps hitters off balance. Imai throws four pitches, but his primary mix consists of a four-seam fastball, slider and splitter. His four-seamer sits at 95-97 and touches 98-99 at peak with a flat plane of approach and heavy armside run. The fastball is particularly effective when located in the upper third and has been adept at generating swings and misses. Imai’s slider is his best pitch and his primary swing-and-miss weapon. It has a gyro shape, sits 85-87 and touches 88-89 with late downshift that creates unique armside movement. The combination of Imai’s low arm slot, above-average velocity and late armside break make his slider a unique offering. The splitter is Imai’s third pitch, and it features good vertical separation off his fastball and heavy armside run to work as a swing-and-miss pitch in opposite-handed matchups. Imai threw a curveball around 2% of the time in 2025, and it featured spin rates in the 2500-2600 rpm range along with around 8-9 inches of sweep. There’s a real possibility a team adds a sweeper to his arsenal. Imai struggled to throw strikes early in his career, but he has seen consistent gains in that department in each of the last four seasons. He now projects for average control. The Future: Imai is a ready-made No. 3 MLB starter who should make an impact immediately. Scouting Grades: FB: 55 | CB: 40 | SL: 60 | CH: 55 | CTL: 50
Thursday at 07:42 PM1 day Fuck yeah! Looking forward to what kind of reaction I’ll get in Japan when I’m there in Nov with my Astros cap.
Thursday at 07:42 PM1 day We definitely need to go to a 6 man (at least early in the season), because that's essentially what they have in Japan. We need Brown and Imai healthy all season.
Thursday at 07:46 PM1 day Popular Post We had to replace our HVAC unit last July and opted for a Daikin unit, I wanna say I'm doing my part in the Japanese baseball pipeline to Houston
Thursday at 08:14 PM1 day Author 2025 Tatsuya Imai1.92 ERA (156 ERA+)27.8 K% (#1 in NPB).172 BAA31.1% CSW
Thursday at 08:20 PM1 day 1 hour ago, Mez2 said:Don't forget Justin Verlander!I could go for some Ramen Tatsuya nowFuck Verlander for no other reason than his POS brother.
Thursday at 08:43 PM1 day 1 hour ago, RGBIII said:I had heard 1+1 (mutual) for 15 and incentives up to 20 for JV but that was awhile ago and idk how good my info isIt’s dated now. That ain’t happening I wouldn’t think (unless we got a taker for Walker for no money which seems unlikely.
Thursday at 08:52 PM1 day One year deal with a projected MLB ERA of 4.3. Meh, if he outperforms he’ll go elsewhere
Thursday at 09:02 PM1 day Author 8 minutes ago, msbesq said:One year deal with a projected MLB ERA of 4.3. Meh, if he outperforms he’ll go elsewherewe can make him better !
Thursday at 09:11 PM1 day Author astros analytics will improve his pitch selectionsurly thread will remind him he's worthless
Thursday at 09:19 PM1 day Author per ari alexander ....A little more specifically what I was told regarding Astros and Asia at Winter Meetings:They beefed up Asia/Pacific Rim scouting - adding and/or moving 3-4 scouts.They are looking at Korean and Japanese amateurs more closely.They were targeting SPs from Asia - and target acquired with Imai.Jim Crane has been pleased with his partnership with Daikin and thought having high level Japanese players would be a positive marketing-wise.
Thursday at 09:20 PM1 day 8 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:astros analytics will improve his pitch selectionsurly thread will remind him he's worthlessWill? Shit, two posts above you he is already considered a questionable signing.1 minute ago, tx 3 putt said:per ari alexander ....A little more specifically what I was told regarding Astros and Asia at Winter Meetings:They beefed up Asia/Pacific Rim scouting - adding and/or moving 3-4 scouts.They are looking at Korean and Japanese amateurs more closely.They were targeting SPs from Asia - and target acquired with Imai.Jim Crane has been pleased with his partnership with Daikin and thought having high level Japanese players would be a positive marketing-wise.You forgot the Asians love of golf.
Thursday at 10:45 PM1 day Just to remind everyone, Kikuchi's best stretch of play in the majors was with the pitching gurus in Houston. I really like this signing. Clearly, Crane is trying to find another market efficiency and now has the support at the corporate level to help mine it.
Yesterday at 12:08 AM1 day Imai signing definitely came out of nowhere. As recently as this morning people were assuming NYM, NYY, PHI, CHC...etc.Chandler mentioned on the podcast today that not only was he blindsided by it, his sources in the org didn't even know it had progressed much beyond initial conversations with Boras.
Yesterday at 12:42 AM1 day Author 1 hour ago, HtownHorn said:Just to remind everyone, Kikuchi's best stretch of play in the majors was with the pitching gurus in Houston. I really like this signing. Clearly, Crane is trying to find another market efficiency and now has the support at the corporate level to help mine it.astros phyops staff 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Yesterday at 01:35 AM1 day Love this signing. A lot.Now get somebody else for that 4th starter slot that has LMJ's picture in it.
Yesterday at 02:18 AM1 day 5 hours ago, PGFrog said:Fuck Verlander for no other reason than his POS brother.Go on . . .
Yesterday at 02:48 AM1 day 9 hours ago, PGFrog said:Fuck that, time for Crane to go full Cody Campbell if the Astros are going to go 173-0 this year.I’d prefer to not be shutout in the Division Series.
23 hours ago23 hr Thinking a bit more about this, I recall reading about him as an interesting prospect for the MLB a while ago, but then I said to myself, "it's gonna fucking suck when he signs with the Dodgers." Never thought the Astros would be able to get him. I figured we would be trading for some journeyman in his 30s as a backup to the IL carousel this team has every year. Nice to see a surprise like that to start the new year. Also love the quote about wanting to beat Ohtani, Yamamoto and friends. That's the kind of attitude you want in a clubhouse, he's gonna do great here.
21 hours ago21 hr 1 hour ago, Hornsbay22 said:They are nuts if they have LMJ over SpaghettiAnyone penciling in poor Lance in the rotation must have been in a coma since 2021.
21 hours ago21 hr 35 minutes ago, LCHorn said:Anyone penciling in poor Lance in the rotation must have been in a coma since 2021.I mean, he might make it into the rotation ... for like a week, before something in his arm explodes.
12 hours ago12 hr 11 hours ago, tx ind said:I’d prefer to not be shutout in the Division Series.Leave Tech alone!
3 hours ago3 hr 17 hours ago, wood said:I mean, he might make it into the rotation ... for like a week, before something in his arm explodes.He’ll kill our BP each and every time out with his 2.1 IP on a 92 count.
1 hour ago1 hr Author Kikuchi Yusei: "On the first day of transferring to the Astros, I had a meeting with the manager, coaches, and data staff, and there they told me to change the distribution of pitch types and the locations to throw, the Astros presented the data in a way that made it easy for me to take it in."
44 minutes ago44 min Author japanese twitter lol ....Introducing Tatsuya Imai's New Teammates—Fellow Powerhouses of the Astros—Tatsuya Imai's transfer to the Houston Astros has been making major waves. The team awaiting him isn't some star-studded luxury liner. If anything, there's an air of a tight-knit group of seasoned pros, each with clearly defined roles. It's a team where everyone brings their own unique strengths, yet all face the same direction.At the helm is Joe Espada, the manager who's been deeply involved with the Astros' coaching staff for years. He's renowned for his knack for valuing each player's individuality while drawing out their maximum potential. His trust with the players runs deep—the dugout vibe seems calm at first glance, but it crackles with tension when the game's on the line.Leading the offense is veteran second baseman Jose Altuve. Small in stature but a master of contact hitting, he's racked up countless singles, supporting the team with his high on-base percentage and clutch performance. Even as young stars shine, his steady leadership plays a huge role.The big bat expected at first base is Christian Walker. This power-hitting mainstay from another team has cranked out home runs by the dozen, and he's already flexing his extra-base pop with the Astros. He's the type who can flip a game with one massive blast, and even in slumps, his thunderous, power-packed swings get the crowd buzzing with excitement.Another infield standout is speedster and skilled hitter Jeremy Peña. He links the lineup seamlessly from singles to long balls, while his baserunning opens up scoring chances. Defensively, he handles second and short with finesse, and as a young slugger, he's expected to "make things happen" in the flow of the game.On the pitching side, joining Imai to anchor the starting rotation is Hunter Brown. With his explosive fastball and slider as his bread and butter, he's the ace entrusted with starts for his ability to shut down offenses. Blending velocity with pinpoint control, he racks up plenty of strikeouts.The team has also bolstered its rotation with the latest addition of Ryan Weathers. This right-hander, returning from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), brings elite strikeout stuff as his calling card. All eyes are on what he'll deliver in his new home.In the bullpen, Bryan Abreu handles closing duties with his overwhelming strikeout prowess. His presence is a direct lifeline in nail-biters, making him indispensable to the squad.Looking back on the 2025 season, the Houston Astros held a strong position in the AL West but ultimately missed the playoffs. But this wasn't a shortfall in talent—it's more like a team biding its time for all the pieces to click.With Tatsuya Imai joining this circle, the team's depth gets even stronger. His pitching will bail out teammates in the clutch, while the lineup's variety will have his back. The Houston Astros are set to open a fresh chapter in the 2026 season. At the heart of that story: Tatsuya Imai and these "comrades." #今井達也 #アストロズ
38 minutes ago38 min Author i'm offering a free room to every hot japanese FEMALE twitter user. we'll see what happens Edited 38 minutes ago38 min by tx 3 putt
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