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Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai signed with the Houston Astros in the offseason, and the transition to the American lifestyle has not been easy for him.
Imai, 27, was recently placed on the injured list with right arm fatigue, and in his first comments since the injury, he said through an interpreter that adjusting to the American lifestyle could be the cause.
“He is unable to adapt to the American way of life,” Imai’s interpreter, Shio Enomoto, said, according to The Athletic. “Baseball and outside of baseball. That’s probably the reason (for his arm fatigue).”
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Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai walks back to the dugout after being ejected during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners in Seattle, Washington, on April 10, 2026. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)
Through an interpreter, Imai said the timing of when players eat dinner after a game is different, in addition to traveling.
“For example, the journey is different from Japan,” Imai said, according to Enomoto. “The timing when the players eat. In Japan, when they come back to the hotel, they eat their dinner. Here, the players eat in the stadium.”
“He thought it would be the same as in Japan, for example, having dinner at the hotel.”
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Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai reacts after allowing a run on a wild pitch during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners in Seattle, Washington, on April 10, 2026. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)
Imai said he will use his time at IL to adjust and “try to get better.” He currently has no timeline for his return and is one of three Astros starting pitchers on IL.
Imai pitched in the NPB for eight seasons, recording a 3.15 ERA in 159 starts and becoming one of the best starting pitchers in the league.
The Astros signed Imai to a three-year, $54 million contract in the offseason, but the right-hander struggled before landing on the IL. In three starts, he had a 7.27 ERA in his first 8.2 major-league innings.
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Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai warms up before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Houston, Texas, on April 15, 2026. (Kevin M. Cox/AP Photo)
In his last start, he recorded just one out against the Seattle Mariners before leaving with an injury. He allowed three runs on one hit, four walks and a hit batter before departing.
The Astros (8-11), who have won two straight over the Colorado Rockies (6-12), will look to complete the three-game sweep when they play the Rockies on Thursday at 20.10 ET.
