Overview
- Tatsuya Imai delivered six scoreless innings with two hits and 10 strikeouts in a 2-1 Houston win over Detroit on June 25.
- One slider — used for the final out of the fifth inning — drew on-air astonishment from the Tigers’ broadcast for its multi-directional movement.
- Imai began the year struggling with command and a high ERA after signing a three-year, $54 million deal, then spent time on the injured list for arm fatigue.
- Since returning and trimming his pitch mix, he has shown measurable improvement, with a stronger seven-start stretch that includes higher strikeout rates and fewer walks.
- The key question for the Astros is whether the recent gains in command and the emergence of the slider will persist enough to make Imai a dependable rotation piece and protect a large contract.