Why Tatsuya Imai was not Astros' best rookie in 2026
Another right-hander has had a better season than Imai.
The Houston Astros had high expectations for Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, but his inconsistent performance led to a bullpen demotion during the middle of the season. Imai struggled with his Major League debut, posting a 5.13 ERA in 21 appearances. This is far from elite performance and has overshadowed his successful eight-year career in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Despite these challenges, Imai is still under contract for two more years and $36 million with the Astros. While the team anticipated him as their best rookie, reliever AJ Blubaugh has been praised as a standout performer, striking out nine batters per nine innings and having a 3.26 ERA. Blubaugh's performance has earned him recognition as Houston's top rookie of the year according to Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller.
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