Astros weighing options for Imai's next start
This browser does not support the video element.
BALTIMORE -- Despite a less-than-ideal performance in Tuesday night’s rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi, Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai has cleared one critical hurdle.
“Stuff-wise, the arm fatigue, it was not present, that’s for sure,” Houston manager Joe Espada said prior to Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles at Camden Yards. “His stuff looked really good. The performance wasn’t great, but at least we checked the box of he did look healthy.”
Espada planned to talk with the former Nippon Professional Baseball star prior to the opener of Thursday’s twin bill, less than 48 hours after Imai allowed five runs in two-plus innings while throwing only 31 of his 59 pitches for strikes.
On Tuesday, Espada expressed hope that the 27-year-old, who signed a three-year, $54 million deal with the Astros in early January, might not need a second rehab outing before rejoining a beleaguered Houston rotation.
“We liked the health. We’re not concerned about the health,” Espada said Thursday. “We want to make sure the performance from the other day does not linger into his next start. So we’re going to have a conversation with him. We want to hear from him, see how he felt and then we’ll decide what’s next.”
This browser does not support the video element.
As of early Thursday afternoon, the Astros had not announced a starter for Sunday’s series finale in Boston, which could open the way for Imai’s return if he pitches on normal rest.
That probably wouldn’t be the ideal course of action, but with Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier among the other starters on the IL for struggling Space City, "ideal" departed a while ago.
Imai had pitched to a 7.27 ERA in three starts before going on the 15-day IL with arm fatigue.
He was masterful in his second outing, allowing three hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Athletics on April 4. Six days later, he lasted only one-third of an inning while walking four and allowing three earned runs against the Mariners.
He’s walked at least three in all four of his starts, including his rehab outing.