<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai reacts in the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Julio Cortez)<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai (center, right) joins the celebration with pitcher Alimber Santa (center) after the final out of a combined no-hitter against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) gets a visit at the mound from first baseman Christian Walker (8) after walking the first two batters he faced during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai throws to the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Julio Cortez)<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai looks on between pitches to the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Julio Cortez)<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai throws to the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Julio Cortez)<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai is greeted in the dugout after pitching to the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Julio Cortez)<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
ARLINGTON\u00a0\u2014 Two batters into the bottom of Monday\u2019s first inning, Houston Astros<\/a> pitching coach Josh Miller emerged from the visitors\u2019 dugout at Globe Life Field and made for the mound, a sight that in no way portended the events to follow.<\/p>\n Ten pitches from Tatsuya Imai indicated erraticism. Imai sprayed his four-seam fastball up and away to two Texas Rangers left-handed hitters. Sliders missed the strike zone badly. Back-to-back walks echoed command issues that have dogged him.<\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted to check on him,\u201d Miller said. \u201cHe was doing a lot of stuff with his hands, like he didn\u2019t have grip or he didn\u2019t have feel.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n A bigger issue, Imai said later, was the rhythm of his delivery. The right-hander felt \u201cunbalanced\u201d in the first inning of his sixth MLB start, like his \u201ctiming was off,\u201d when Miller arrived with an interpreter for a proverbial pause.<\/p>\n ‘SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL’: How three Astros pitchers no-hit the Rangers.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe told me, \u2018Just keep attacking the zone,\u2019\u201d Imai said, through his interpreter.<\/p>\n Lapses therein reflected in the 8.31 ERA that Imai compiled over his first five outings with the Astros, a rocky start to a sweeping transition. Issues with control and adjustments curtailed several of his earlier starts in Imai\u2019s introduction to a new league and surroundings.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n What unfolded Monday marked the most encouraging step yet in that process for Imai and a Houston team that signed the Japanese right-hander to a three-year deal in January. Imai endured a shaky first inning, reversed course and authored the first 18 outs of a combined no-hitter.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThat first inning, you would have never thought that was going to be the outcome of the game,\u201d Astros manager Joe Espada said after the 18th no-hitter in the franchise\u2019s history. \u201cBut I tip my hat to Imai. He pitched. He continued to compete. \u2026 He continued to pound the zone. He fought through it, six strong innings. And the rest is history.\u201d<\/p>\n History, in this case, was the first no-hitter in Major League Baseball since Sept. 2024, ending the longest stretch of days without one since 2004-06, per ESPN. The Astros have thrown five of the last 11 MLB no-hitters, three of those as combined efforts, perhaps none as unexpected as Monday\u2019s.<\/p>\n