Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Goes to Houston on $54 million deal

The Astros signed Imai to a three-year, $54 million contract Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The total will rise to $63 million if he reaches all innings pitched incentives. Imai didn't come close to landing the kind of contract most projected for him, though there are opt-out clauses after all three seasons of his three-year deal. The right-hander provides a much-needed boost to an Astros rotation that's expected to lose Framber Valdez in free agency. Imai, 27, posted a 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 178:45 K:BB across 163.2 innings with the Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball during the 2025 season.