Tatsuya ImaiHOU · SP

2026 review

Tatsuya Imai was a swing-and-miss starter who couldn't find the strike zone: a 4.93 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 76.2 IP with a 28.7 K% and a 15.1 BB% over 338 BF across 23 games for HOU, his 15.1 BB% the 16th highest of 517 pitchers with 100+ BF and his 41.4 Hard% over 186 BBE the 21st highest. He signed as a free agent Jan 2, then right arm fatigue put him on the 15-day IL Apr 13 (retroactive to Apr 12); he took rehab assignments before activating May 12, missing 30 regular-season days. He moved from starter to reliever with his first appearance in the new role Aug 3, going from 15 GS to 0 GS, and the switch settled him, a 2.00 ERA in 18.0 IP out of the bullpen after a 5.83 ERA in 58.2 IP as a starter. Drafted at NFBC ADP rank 167, he finished 904th of 1472 in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank, 737 spots below, and 134th of 236 starters. His 4.93 ERA ran 0.33 above his 4.60 xERA over 338 BF. The card tracked a rough rehab start in early May, called the early Aug bullpen move a loss of starter volume, and by late Sep had him as a long reliever in a walk-prone pen.