Tatsuya Imai Signing Forces Astros to DFA Relief Pitcher

Chandler Rome of The Athletic just broke the news that the Houston Astros just let go one of their relief pitchers in Kaleb Ort. Ort, who was mostly a reliable middle relief and occasional setup man for Houston and had been with the Astros for two seasons.

The Astros DFAd Kaleb Ort to make room on the 40-man roster for Tatsuya Imai
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) January 2, 2026

Tatsuya Imai, the recent pitcher Houston signed from Japan, will likely become an integral piece to the starting rotation. Prior to signing him, the 40-man roster was full. The Astros needed to give up one of their players. Fans hoped it wouldn't be someone important, so Ort was the one to go.

Ort was claimed off waivers by the Astros from the Seattle Mariners in May of 2024 and made his Houston debut in June. He then pitched for two seasons, with 2024 being his best season in Houston, pitching to a 2.55 ERA in 24.2 innings with a 0.83 WHIP.

Ort pitched a full season the following year, spiked his ERA to 4.89 with a 1.34 WHIP, and struck out 49 batters in 46 innings, the most innings he's pitched in his MLB career. His overall pitching stats don't tell the whole story. While Ort started 2025 slow, pitching to an ERA above 5.50 from April to June, the 33-year-old settled in, with ERAs of 2.79 in July and 2.25 in August.

Ort could have continued on this surge but injuries halted it, ending his season with elbow inflammation in early September.

The Michigan native will likely find another bullpen on a team in need of quick outs with a high strikeout count. Losing him won't necessarily hurt the Astros bullpen, but the emergence of a Japanese ace in Imai to bolster the starting rotation is exactly what Houston needs.

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