HOUSTON -- The signing of Japanese star pitcher Tatsuya Imai earlier this week represented a huge shift in how the Astros will approach the Pacific Rim in future years. The Astros, at the behest of owner Jim Crane, have planted scouts in Tokyo, Taiwan and South Korea with hopes of beginning a pipeline of talented players from Asia to Houston and becoming major players in the market.
Imai is the first free agent from Japanās Nippon Professional Baseball league to sign with the Astros, having inked a three-year, $54 million deal that could be worth $63 million with incentives. The deal also includes opt-outs after the 2026 and ā27 seasons -- something which the Astros would prefer rather not to do, but represents the price of doing business these days.
āWeāre still trying to sign other players, but as far as the Japanese market, we wanted to be active,ā Astros general manager Dana Brown said. āThereās some very good players coming from Japan, and these guys are becoming part of championship-caliber teams. We were so focused on getting in that market. Our partnership now with Daikin [naming rights at the Houston ballpark through 2039] is very important with us, as well. We were locked in. Itās an exciting time for us.ā
Hereās a look at other Astros players from Asia:
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (2024): At the Trade Deadline, the Astros sent pitcher Jake Bloss, their No. 9 prospect, popular rookie outfielder Joey Loperfido and Minor League infielder Will Wagner, their No. 13 prospect, to the Blue Jays in exchange for the 33-year-old Japanese lefty -- a move which initially wasnāt met with positive reviews from Astros fans.
Kikuchi, though, helped the Astros win their seventh AL West title in eight years by pitching well in the final two months. He was 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 10 starts for the Astros, posting a 2.05 ERA in five starts in Houston. He signed with the Angels that offseason for three years and $63 million, which is what Imaiās deal with the Astros could be worth.
OF Nori Aoki (2017): The Japanese outfielder had played for four teams in five seasons when the Astros plucked him off waivers in November 2016. He played in 71 games with the Astros in 2017 and slashed .272/.323/.371 with two homers and 19 RBIs before being dealt to the Blue Jays at the Trade Deadline with outfielder Teoscar HernƔndez for pitcher Francisco Liriano -- a trade the Astros would like to have back. Aoki did earn a World Series ring that year with Houston.
2B Kaz Matsui (2008-10): Matsui followed fellow Japanese stars Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui to the Major Leagues in December 2003 when he was signed by the Mets. He never lived up to the expectations or the performance of his star countrymen in his 2 1/2 years in New York and 1 1/2 years in Colorado, though he helped the Rockies reach the World Series in 2007.
The Astros signed him to a three-year, $16.5 million contract after the ā07 season to replace Hall of Famer Craig Biggio at second base. His Astros career began on the injured list, and he wound up slashing .259/.315/.370 with 15 homers, 40 steals and 80 RBIs in two-plus mediocre seasons in Houston. Matsui was released in May 2010 -- a little more than one year before Jose Altuve took over at second base for Houston.
RHP Chia-Jen Lo (2013): On the same day the Astros finalized a one-year deal with free agent reliever LaTroy Hawkins in 2008, they introduced right-hander Chia-Jen Lo -- the teamās first Taiwanese player. He didn't reach the big leagues until 2013, when he was one of 21 rookies the 111-loss Astros played during their first season in the AL. Lo later pitched in China and Australia.
Donāt forget ā¦
LHP Stephen Randolph, an American who was born in Japan and appeared in 14 games for the Astros in 2007. He was traded by the Astros to the Phillies early in the 2008 season.
IF Chan Jong Moon was introduced in a press conference in Houston when he was signed out of South Korea for $350,000 in 2009, but he never panned out and topped out at Triple-A in 2015 and ā16. The Astros still havenāt had a Korean-born player reach the big leagues.