HOUSTON -- Things started out promising for Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai in his Major League debut Sunday, including a strikeout of Angels star Mike Trout for the first of his career. Imai retired six of the first eight hitters he faced, including four by strikeout, before the Angels rallied to knock him out in the third inning.
Imai, who was signed out of Japan by the Astros in January, was rocked for four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in his first career start in the series finale at Daikin Park. The Astros spotted him a 4-0 lead, but four consecutive Angels reached after one out in the third and all four scored.
With the bases loaded and one out in the third, Jorge Soler doubled into the left-field corner to clear the bases and cut Houston’s lead to one. Jo Adell’s RBI single tied the game, prompting Astros manager Joe Espada to pull Imai after 74 pitches.
Imai gave up three hits, four walks and struck out four batters, with two of the walks leading to runs. He threw only 36 pitches for strikes and generated seven whiffs, including four on his slider, and hit 97.6 mph with his fastball.
After walking Zach Neto to start the game, Imai threw three consecutive fastball strikes to Trout. The last pitch clipped the zone and was called a strike, but Trout tapped his helmet to initiate an ABS challenge. The strike call was confirmed correct, and Imai had his first career strikeout. He struck out Soler later in the first, and ended the second with consecutive swinging strikeouts of Josh Lowe and Travis d’Arnaud.
Imai was a three-time All-Star in NPB with the Seibu Lions, including in both 2024 and ’25 and last year went 10-5 with a career-best 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 163 2/3 innings. In 2024, he went 10-8 with a 2.34 ERA and set career highs with 187 strikeouts and 173 1/3 innings pitched.