Astros' Tatsuya Imai having trouble adjusting to 'American lifestyle'
New York Post • • sports
Key Points:
- Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai attributes his early struggles and arm fatigue to difficulties adjusting to the American lifestyle, including differences in travel, meal timing, and stadium conditions.
- Imai, who signed a three-year deal worth up to $63 million after eight seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, has allowed seven earned runs and 11 walks in just 8 ⅔ innings over three outings this season.
- He highlighted challenges such as adjusting to 30 different stadiums and varying mound conditions, compared to only six stadiums in Japan, which has affected his performance.
- Despite his struggles, the Astros had expected Imai, a three-time All-Star in Japan with a 1.92 ERA last season, to be a key part of their starting rotation.
- The Astros as a team are off to a poor start in 2026, holding a 6-11 record, the worst in Major League Baseball at this point in the season.
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