{"id":389072,"date":"2026-07-28T12:57:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T12:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/389072\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T12:57:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T12:57:11","slug":"houston-astros-will-tatsuya-imai-stay-in-rotation-with-inconsistency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/389072\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston Astros: Will Tatsuya Imai stay in rotation with inconsistency?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"For<\/p>\n

For the third time this season, Tatsuya Imai failed to make it out of the first inning Monday against the Angels, prompting the inevitable question of how much longer the Astros can keep him in the rotation.<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell, right, tosses his bat after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell (26) cannot reach a home run hit by Los Angeles Angels’ Vaughn Grissom during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai puts rosin on his hand after walking Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jeremy Pena pours water on his face before a baseball game against Los Angeles Angels, Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Miguel Ullola (66) tries on a pink cowboy hat before a baseball game against Los Angeles Angels Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) is removed by manager Joe Espada, left, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell high-fives a teammate in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Cristian Javier pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning of a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (27) watches the action during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Josh Hader (71) smiles after earning the save during their win over the Los Angeles Angels during a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (27) and Isaac Paredes (15) celebrate their win over the Los Angeles Angels during a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ LaMonte Wade, Jr. (31) reacts to walking to force in the go-ahead run against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes (15) heads to first base after being hit by a pitch from Los Angeles Angels’ Sam Bachman forcing in the tying run during the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, July 27, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante<\/p>\n

ANAHEIM, Calif.\u00a0\u2014 Feast or famine is suboptimal in a unit starving for stability. Scattered across Tatsuya Imai\u2019s first season in Major League Baseball are glints of a pitcher starting to settle in. Uncertain each time he takes the mound is whether that version will appear or one prone to meltdowns.<\/p>\n

The latter resurfaced Monday night, as Imai failed to complete the first inning in the opener of a series against the Angels, a game in which the Houston Astros<\/a> rallied for a 6-4 win<\/a> but handed their bullpen a heavy workload again behind a right-hander who has repeatedly been unable to protect it.<\/p>\n

It was the third time in 15 starts this season Imai has failed to finish the first inning. Another time, he was removed in the second. Eight of the right-hander\u2019s starts have comprised fewer than five innings. Through his first 58 \u2154 major-league innings, Imai owns a 5.83 ERA.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

There have been strong outings<\/a>, too. Yet the recurrence of collapses such as Monday\u2019s<\/a> create the sense that Imai is still unable to shed the growing pains that have defined his rookie season and, perhaps, the question of how much longer a club trying to contend in the American League can sustain them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis stuff is so good, and when he\u2019s on, his stuff is good and he can get people out and get swing-and-misses,\u201d manager Joe Espada said Monday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s premature right now to talk about (his future in the rotation). I do want us to celebrate this win and there was a lot of things we did really well. And then we\u2019ll come here tomorrow and we\u2019ll sit down with Imai and we\u2019ll look at some video and talk to him about some things. But I want to make sure we highlight what we did really well and we did a lot of things very well in tonight\u2019s game.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the outcome salved how the game started for Houston, and Espada will not publicly excoriate his players, it seemed far from a ringing endorsement. The Astros have displayed patience, however, so far with a pitcher navigating myriad adjustments both on and off the field in his transition to MLB.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

Already, Houston\u2019s rotation is in a tenuous state. Hunter Brown and Peter Lambert hold two spots. Two others may soon belong to pitchers coming off elbow surgery, Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski. Two of the staff\u2019s three leaders in innings, Spencer Arrighetti and Mike Burrows, are on the injured list.<\/p>\n

Dwindling depth and an $18 million salary have surely cushioned Imai\u2019s rotation spot. They are, at least, realities that magnify his performance. As August nears, with added urgency for a team hovering below .500, the inconsistency there becomes only a larger issue with which the Astros must reckon.<\/p>\n

An inflection point might already have arrived if not for attrition, and the overall struggles of a rotation with the majors\u2019 third-highest ERA. Acquiring a starter at the Aug. 3 trade deadline could expand their options, but general manager Dana Brown has already declared an outfield bat<\/a> their foremost priority.<\/p>\n

Their capacity to make multiple additions is unclear, as might be their status as buyers if not for Brown\u2019s public insistence and a forgiving American League. The Astros were 53-55 but just two games out of first place in the AL West and 1 \u00bd games back of a wild-card spot after their win Monday night.<\/p>\n

BATTERS
\nAVG
\nOBA
\nAB
\nR
\nH
\n2B
\n3B
\nHR
\nRBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nSB
\nCS
\nE<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n.241
\n.316
\n3627
\n495
\n874
\n159
\n8
\n147
\n472
\n356
\n878
\n37
\n14
\n45<\/p>\n

Alvarez
\n.323
\n.433
\n384
\n73
\n124
\n20
\n0
\n34
\n78
\n71
\n80
\n1
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a
\n.316
\n.370
\n231
\n49
\n73
\n10
\n0
\n11
\n30
\n17
\n42
\n8
\n1
\n5<\/p>\n

Correa
\n.279
\n.369
\n122
\n22
\n34
\n8
\n0
\n3
\n16
\n18
\n26
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Delgado
\n.273
\n.314
\n33
\n3
\n9
\n1
\n0
\n1
\n4
\n2
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Paredes
\n.257
\n.350
\n369
\n43
\n95
\n18
\n1
\n14
\n58
\n40
\n64
\n0
\n0
\n6<\/p>\n

Shewmake
\n.256
\n.272
\n78
\n10
\n20
\n4
\n0
\n3
\n9
\n2
\n13
\n0
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Allen
\n.250
\n.295
\n96
\n14
\n24
\n3
\n0
\n1
\n11
\n6
\n23
\n2
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Trammell
\n.242
\n.317
\n128
\n18
\n31
\n5
\n1
\n5
\n14
\n11
\n47
\n3
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

Diaz
\n.233
\n.261
\n189
\n20
\n44
\n9
\n0
\n6
\n23
\n7
\n32
\n0
\n1
\n2<\/p>\n

Walker
\n.232
\n.309
\n383
\n51
\n89
\n20
\n1
\n20
\n61
\n35
\n102
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Dezenzo
\n.232
\n.303
\n69
\n11
\n16
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n7
\n27
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Altuve
\n.228
\n.293
\n324
\n48
\n74
\n14
\n1
\n12
\n30
\n29
\n77
\n2
\n2
\n4<\/p>\n

Harris
\n.226
\n.286
\n31
\n4
\n7
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n4
\n2
\n6
\n2
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Loperfido
\n.216
\n.314
\n102
\n13
\n22
\n7
\n1
\n1
\n12
\n14
\n31
\n1
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

V\u00e1zquez
\n.215
\n.267
\n191
\n18
\n41
\n7
\n0
\n5
\n23
\n14
\n38
\n1
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Smith
\n.206
\n.284
\n344
\n41
\n71
\n13
\n1
\n13
\n36
\n33
\n92
\n10
\n1
\n4<\/p>\n

Meyers
\n.206
\n.264
\n136
\n14
\n28
\n6
\n0
\n3
\n11
\n10
\n30
\n1
\n2
\n0<\/p>\n

Matthews
\n.197
\n.250
\n208
\n23
\n41
\n5
\n1
\n7
\n22
\n15
\n71
\n4
\n4
\n1<\/p>\n

Wade
\n.169
\n.319
\n59
\n9
\n10
\n2
\n0
\n2
\n11
\n13
\n16
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Price
\n.167
\n.231
\n12
\n1
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n6
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Cole
\n.157
\n.189
\n51
\n4
\n8
\n1
\n0
\n3
\n8
\n1
\n21
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Spence
\n.156
\n.229
\n32
\n3
\n5
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n2
\n12
\n0
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

Johnson
\n.143
\n.294
\n14
\n1
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Whitcomb
\n.130
\n.167
\n23
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n5
\n1
\n11
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n.056
\n.227
\n18
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

PITCHERS
\nW
\nL
\nERA
\nG
\nGS
\nSV
\nIP
\nH
\nR
\nER
\nHR
\nBB
\nSO<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n53
\n55
\n4.72
\n108
\n108
\n32
\n956.1
\n860
\n540
\n502
\n148
\n468
\n948<\/p>\n

Meyers
\n0
\n0
\n0.00
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Santa
\n0
\n1
\n1.17
\n10
\n0
\n0
\n15.1
\n8
\n6
\n2
\n1
\n6
\n9<\/p>\n

Hader
\n3
\n1
\n1.29
\n23
\n0
\n13
\n21
\n10
\n3
\n3
\n1
\n10
\n33<\/p>\n

VanWey
\n1
\n0
\n1.50
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n6
\n5
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n5<\/p>\n

Okert
\n3
\n1
\n2.09
\n51
\n1
\n0
\n51.2
\n31
\n13
\n12
\n5
\n12
\n52<\/p>\n

Lambert
\n8
\n5
\n3.03
\n17
\n17
\n0
\n98
\n72
\n33
\n33
\n11
\n38
\n94<\/p>\n

Brown
\n2
\n1
\n3.45
\n9
\n9
\n0
\n47
\n32
\n20
\n18
\n5
\n28
\n50<\/p>\n

Pearson
\n1
\n0
\n3.60
\n16
\n0
\n1
\n20
\n16
\n10
\n8
\n1
\n12
\n16<\/p>\n

Blubaugh
\n4
\n2
\n3.74
\n40
\n0
\n0
\n67.1
\n53
\n30
\n28
\n9
\n32
\n69<\/p>\n

King
\n2
\n3
\n3.74
\n43
\n0
\n6
\n45.2
\n46
\n21
\n19
\n6
\n16
\n36<\/p>\n

Teng
\n5
\n6
\n4.35
\n25
\n10
\n0
\n68.1
\n62
\n37
\n33
\n10
\n30
\n67<\/p>\n

De Los Santos
\n1
\n3
\n4.41
\n46
\n0
\n5
\n49
\n47
\n27
\n24
\n6
\n12
\n47<\/p>\n

Sousa
\n0
\n0
\n4.50
\n8
\n0
\n0
\n6
\n6
\n4
\n3
\n0
\n5
\n6<\/p>\n

Arrighetti
\n7
\n5
\n4.60
\n17
\n17
\n0
\n88
\n68
\n47
\n45
\n12
\n50
\n87<\/p>\n

Abreu
\n2
\n3
\n5.05
\n39
\n0
\n6
\n35.2
\n29
\n22
\n20
\n7
\n28
\n46<\/p>\n

Roa
\n0
\n1
\n5.19
\n7
\n0
\n0
\n8.2
\n10
\n5
\n5
\n1
\n7
\n6<\/p>\n

Bolton
\n0
\n1
\n5.40
\n8
\n3
\n1
\n20
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n3
\n14
\n22<\/p>\n

Ullola
\n0
\n0
\n5.40
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n5
\n4
\n3
\n3
\n2
\n1
\n7<\/p>\n

Imai
\n6
\n4
\n5.83
\n15
\n15
\n0
\n58.2
\n50
\n38
\n38
\n9
\n40
\n72<\/p>\n

Burrows
\n4
\n9
\n5.99
\n18
\n17
\n0
\n94.2
\n112
\n69
\n63
\n21
\n35
\n75<\/p>\n

McCullers
\n2
\n3
\n6.86
\n8
\n8
\n0
\n39.1
\n38
\n32
\n30
\n7
\n22
\n43<\/p>\n

Javier
\n1
\n1
\n7.17
\n8
\n4
\n0
\n21.1
\n24
\n17
\n17
\n3
\n15
\n21<\/p>\n

Murray
\n0
\n0
\n7.43
\n8
\n0
\n0
\n13.1
\n19
\n11
\n11
\n1
\n7
\n8<\/p>\n

Weiss
\n0
\n3
\n7.62
\n9
\n2
\n0
\n26
\n35
\n24
\n22
\n8
\n20
\n30<\/p>\n

Blanco
\n0
\n1
\n8.10
\n2
\n2
\n0
\n10
\n6
\n9
\n9
\n4
\n6
\n12<\/p>\n

France
\n0
\n0
\n8.10
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n6.2
\n6
\n6
\n6
\n1
\n5
\n4<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n0
\n0
\n9.00
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Alexander
\n1
\n1
\n9.33
\n4
\n2
\n0
\n18.1
\n21
\n19
\n19
\n4
\n8
\n14<\/p>\n

Gordon
\n0
\n0
\n11.57
\n4
\n1
\n0
\n9.1
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n6
\n3
\n11<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1oz
\n0
\n0
\n15.75
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n4
\n7
\n7
\n7
\n3
\n6
\n6<\/p>\n

Before it, Espada seemed to acknowledge their liminal state: \u201cWe\u2019ve been playing really good baseball here the last week,\u201d he said. \u201cWe know what we need to do, we know what the next week is. We have to take care of business to put ourselves in a good spot during this deadline. And we intend to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

Imai, then, recorded just two outs before Espada deemed it necessary to remove him. Imai faced seven batters, walked four and allowed one hit. A mound visit by pitching coach Josh Miller two batters in had little effect. Two of his walks were on four pitches, another on five. Imai threw 33 pitches, 12 strikes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just, simply, I wasn\u2019t able to put it in the zone,\u201d Imai said, through an interpreter.<\/p>\n

Adjusting to different mounds on the road is one change Imai and the Astros have noted, yet the impact has not been uniform. Two of his best starts featured six no-hit innings at Texas and six scoreless innings in Detroit, environs new to him. Imai did not cite the mound, or any other issue, after his start Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not really satisfied whenever I go short,\u201d Imai said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of people who are cheering me and a lot of people who are giving me opportunities and I\u2019m really thankful for the opportunity. But I\u2019m just not really satisfied and I\u2019m not happy with the result that I got today and the short (starts) that I\u2019ve had in the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

This one, three days removed from Arrighetti exiting his start in Chicago<\/a> after an inning with a foot injury, threatened to upend the Astros\u2019 bullpen again at the onset of a critical week. Instead, two relievers combined to cover the next 7 \u2153 innings and, ultimately, afford them the opportunity for a comeback.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

AJ Blubaugh defused a bases-loaded jam inherited from Imai in the first and worked two more innings. Cristian Javier, pitching for the first time in eight days, then gave the Astros five scoreless innings on 70 pitches, an efficient outing that perhaps introduced a wrinkle into their upcoming rotation calculus.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really needed that as a team; he needed that,\u201d Espada said of Javier. \u201cHe\u2019s been keeping his head up, he\u2019s been grinding through this with us, and we really needed him to step up and he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stowed in the bullpen since returning from a shoulder strain, Javier, the Astros\u2019 highest-paid pitcher, had not thrown more than three innings in a major-league outing since his injury. He held the Angels to three hits, struck out seven batters and walked none in what might have doubled as an audition.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

It ruled Javier out of a spot start in Wednesday\u2019s series finale, if that was a consideration.\u00a0Wesneski is in Anaheim and a candidate to be activated to pitch that game. Beyond that, and a trade deadline six days away, more rotation decisions for the Astros may await.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For the third time this season, Tatsuya Imai failed to make it out of the first inning Monday…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":389073,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[56,58,57],"class_list":["post-389072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-houston","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=389072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389072\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/389073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=389072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=389072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=389072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}