Tatsuya Imai Signs With Astros
According to multiple reports, Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai is signing with the Houston Astros. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was first on the scene. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the contract is a three-year deal, with opt-outs every season. Imai will be making $18 million minimum per year but can max out at $21 million per season based on innings pitched.
Tatsuya Imai. Photo Credit: Seibu Lions
The 27-year-old righty was just a day away from his deadline to sign with a MLB team. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Imai had longer-term deals with lower avergage annual values, but chose to bet on himself in his contract with Houston.
Imai was the prized Japanese pitcher on the free-agent market this offseason, coming off a year in which he pitched to a 1.92 ERA in 24 games in the JPL.
With a fastball that averages just under 95 mph, Imai mixes that pitch with a splitter and a “wrong way slider.” That pitch moves with -2.4 inches of horizontal break compared to the MLB average of five inches of glove side break. The Astros are hoping that breaker will make visiting hitters look foolish this year at Daikan Park.
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