Japanese newcomer Tatsuya Imai began his first spring training session with the Houston Astros on Friday, marking a significant milestone in his career. After pitching against longtime Astros star Jose Altuve, Imai realized he had truly reached the major leagues during this early 2026 preparation period.
“As soon as I started facing Jose, I was like, ‘Oh shoot, I’m actually in the big leagues,’”
Imai said, per MLB.com.
Jose Altuve Reacts to Impressive Pitching From Imai
Veteran infielder Jose Altuve offered praise for Imai’s pitching repertoire, noting the quality of his pitches despite only facing a small sample. Altuve highlighted the difficulty he had reading a sharp slider and a fastball thrown by the rookie.
“He threw me a slider that [you] couldn’t really see the spin. Nice and sharp. And then after that, a fastball. I saw two pitches. So, yeah, very good. Obviously, two pitches is not enough, I wish I could get more. But the first impression is really good. He’s going to help this team a lot,”
Altuve said.
Imai Earns High Praise and Support From Astros Coaching Staff
Imai signed a three-year, $54 million contract with Houston in January, entering a growing group of Japanese talent joining MLB in 2026, including White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami. His slider has drawn particular attention from Astros pitching coach Josh Miller for its unusual movement and deceptive spin.
“It has a natural shape that backs up, doesn’t go left, even though it might have the spin that looks to a hitter like it will,”
Miller commented.
“There were some weird swings against it, some foul balls where the ball got in on the hands a little bit. Where sliders will typically go down, away, it didn’t really do that. Just a unique pitch.”
Imai Adjusts Confidently Amid New Team Environment
Though still acclimating to his new teammates and surroundings, Imai has taken steps to ease his nerves by observing live pitching and practicing in the bullpen. Miller noted that any initial anxiety appeared to diminish as Imai settled into his routines.
“He did say that he was a little nervous,”
Miller explained.
“He’s been out watching the guys throw live the last few days to kind of see how it went. I think it made him a little more comfortable. It seemed like he was at ease on the mound, looked natural. Whatever nerves he had were kind of erased in the bullpen. He did well.”
Astros Prepare for Upcoming Spring Training Game
The Astros enter the 2026 spring season aiming to improve on their 87-75 finish in 2025, which left them second in the American League West and outside the playoffs. Their next test comes Saturday in a spring training matchup against the Washington Nationals, as the team looks to sharpen its roster and strategies.
