{"id":252187,"date":"2026-04-16T07:08:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T07:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/252187\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T07:08:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T07:08:14","slug":"houston-astros-officials-vow-to-help-tatsuya-imai-adjust-to-mlb-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/252187\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston Astros officials vow to help Tatsuya Imai adjust to MLB life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Astros<\/p>\n

Astros manager Joe Espada said the team is addressing Tatsuya Imai’s admitted struggles with adapting to life in MLB and the U.S.<\/p>\n

Brett Coomer\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n

A day after Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai acknowledged struggling to adapt to life in Major League Baseball and the U.S.,<\/a> Houston Astros officials vowed to help him through the transition.<\/p>\n

Imai, who was placed on the injured list Monday<\/a> due to \u201carm fatigue,\u201d said through an interpreter Tuesday that he has struggled \u201cto adjust to the American lifestyle, like other than baseball as well. Baseball and outside of baseball.\u201d Houston manager Joe Espada was asked about Imai\u2019s comments before the Astros<\/a> played the\u00a0Rockies on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have talked to him about it,\u201d Espada said, \u201cand it\u2019s going to take some time for him to adjust. And we\u2019re all doing everything in our power to help him adjust. From Japan to Florida (for spring training), schedule is different, coming to Houston and then the first road trip he\u2019s (gone) for three cities. So, it\u2019s going to take some time. And we\u2019re all helping him try to adjust.\u00a0And he will.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Astros signed Imai to a three-year, $54 million deal<\/a> in the offseason after he pitched in parts of nine seasons in NPB in Japan. Imai made three starts for Houston, posting a 7.27 ERA in 8 \u2154 innings, before landing on the IL.<\/p>\n

Imai is the first player the Astros have signed directly from Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan<\/a>, which created a learning curve for both parties this spring. The Astros adopted a flexible approach with Imai in camp, allowing him to shape his buildup, as part of their effort to have him assimilate.<\/p>\n

In spring and his first few starts, Imai pointed out differences with the baseball and the pitching mounds in MLB<\/a>. Tuesday, Imai also cited differences \u201coutside of baseball.\u201d Asked about those, Imai said examples are \u201cthe travel is different\u201d and \u201calso the timing when the players eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Astros general manager Dana Brown told the team\u2019s flagship radio station 790 AM on Wednesday there are \u201cjust adjustment periods that these guys have to go through\u201d playing in a different country and that \u201cwe\u2019ll help him make the necessary adjustments to be successful at the major-league level.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to remember the human element as well,\u201d Brown said on 790 AM. \u201cThere\u2019s an adjustment period. He\u2019s used to eating at certain times \u2026 if he feels like there\u2019s a mound difference, there\u2019s a difference to the baseball, these are all growing pains where guys learn to make adjustments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something that multiple players that have come from Japan had to deal with. It\u2019s part of being active in that market. So you just have to continue to listen and try to make the adjustments for him, and that\u2019s the key, listen and try to help him out.\u201d<\/p>\n

This spring, Astros pitching coaches said they\u2019d reached out to contemporaries who have worked with Japanese players moving to MLB for advice on how to help that transition from a baseball perspective. Espada said he has done the same regarding the holistic move.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m always calling major-league managers who\u2019ve had Japanese players, \u2018How can I continue to help him and be a bridge for that transition? \u2019\u201d Espada said. \u201cThey all say the same thing\u00a0\u2014 it will take some time. Just make sure you extend your arm and be more than just a manager. Be someone they can talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Imai might return to the mound is unclear. He is shut down from throwing until he regains arm strength, according to Espada, who said that tests on Imai\u2019s arm showed \u201cno issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Espada said he is \u201call ears\u201d to topics Imai might want to discuss about his transition and that he feels able to \u201cunderstand\u201d the process, to an extent. Espada grew up in Puerto Rico before playing college baseball in Mobile, Ala., and he noted that many MLB players from countries outside the U.S. have needed to adjust to new surroundings at some point in their careers.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I understand Imai, and we all are on his side and we\u2019re going to do everything in our power to help him,\u201d Espada said.<\/p>\n

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