Imai to rejoin Astros rotation in Mariners series next week

HOUSTON -- Despite another outing where he had trouble throwing strikes in a Minor League rehab start Tuesday night at Triple-A Sugar Land, Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai will rejoin Houston’s rotation during next week’s series against the Mariners at Daikin Park.

Imai, the Japanese star who has endured a rocky adjustment to the Major Leagues, had trouble throwing strikes while facing Albuquerque at Constellation Field. He walked five batters in three innings of work, including four walks in the third inning alone, and gave up one run and one hit with three strikeouts. He threw only 27 of 63 pitches for strikes.

“He’s a really good pitcher,” Astros manager Joe Espada said Wednesday. “We went out and we got him because he belongs in the rotation -- the Astros’ rotation. He’s ready to pitch in the big leagues. We need him to be the guy we know he’s capable of being and he’s ready to go. We’re going to get him in here and get him right.”

The reality is the Astros have no other choice than to return Imai to the rotation, considering he’s not injured and he was signed to a three-year, $54 million contract in January. The Astros put him on the injured list with arm fatigue following a disastrous outing April 10 in Seattle where he recorded one out and walked four batters.

Imai has discussed the difficulty of making adjustments to the Major Leagues, including differences in the ball and pitcher’s mound from those in Japan. He also said he’s getting used to the pitch clock, as well as trying to adjust to a postgame meal schedule that works for him. He posted a 7.27 ERA in three starts for the Astros, which came on the heels of a strong spring.

“I mean, he’s a quality starter, right?” Astros general manager Dana Brown said. “And I think he's hit a bump in the road with some of the walks that he's been experiencing. I think a big part of it is just allowing him to free his mind up, attack Major League hitters like he used to attack hitters in Japan. Don't overthink it and just lock in and be yourself. That's a big point that we're trying to make to him -- just be yourself and have confidence in your stuff because your stuff plays at this level.”

Imai has been primarily a two-pitch pitcher in the big leagues, throwing his four-seam fastball 48 percent and slider 43 percent. He’s thrown his split-fingered fastball, curveball and changeup three percent apiece, and Brown thinks he could use more of his weapons.

“If he could command his two pitches very well, and every now and then execute the third or fourth pitch, I think he's gonna be fine at this level,” Brown said. “But you can't run away from your best pitches. And I think getting him on his own and helping him understand the psychology of throwing strikes and not looking at these Major League hitters and giving them too much credit, like, ‘These guys are good.’ You still have to get in the strike zone if you're gonna be successful here. And he clearly understands that. And we had a nice chat with him.”

The Astros have seven starting pitchers on the injured list, including Imai, Opening Day starter Hunter Brown and veteran Cristian Javier. Brown and Javier have Grade 2 right shoulder strains. Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco and Brandon Walter all underwent Tommy John surgery last year.