Inside the Astros

Why Japanese Arm Tatsuya Imai Was On Astros' Dana Brown's Radar

Aside from the impressive stats in Japanese Ball NPB, newly acquired pitcher Tatsuya Imai was on the Astros general manager Dana Brown for many other reasons.
Jeremy Gretzer|
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Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown is a man full of surprises. In a stunning move out of nowhere, the Astros signed Japanese Star Tatsuya Imai to a three-year deal worth $54 million, with each year earning $18 million and given an opt-out option after each season. Imai was on other teams' radars, but it was initially expected that he would sign for more money.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, Imai was No.7 on their free agent lists and was projected to earn six years, $150 million. In one fell swoop, the 27-year-old chose Houston on a very negotiable deal. This, without a doubt, adds extreme firepower to the starting rotation.

Why Else Did Astros Sign Tatsuya Imai

While the scouting report and the stats above do prove Imai to be a worthy addition, this isn't the only reason why the Astros signed him. Imai is the second Japanese-born pitcher ever to don an Astros uniform, and the very first player the Astros signed directly out of Japan.

Astros Lack of Japanese Player Involvement

Aside from Yusei Kikuchi acquired in an MLB transaction just two seasons ago, who was the first pitcher to play for Houston in their franchise history, the Astros have never actively participated in the Japanese player market.

The first ever Japanese player signing was infielder Kazuo Matsui in 2008, but he had already been in the MLB since 2004.

Legitimately signing a player outright from Japan is a huge deal for the city of Houston. Not only does it establish ties with Japan and Nippon Baseball, It gives them more experience and competition in a market they've initially deemed unfamiliar.

The AL team with the most players signed from Japan is the Seattle Mariners, one of Houston's many rivals in the AL West. The LA Dodgers have the most signed Japanese players in all of MLB history; another team, the Astros, has had recent history.

Houston Closely Monitored Imai

Imai wasn't just recently on Houston's radar. According to Scott Barilla of Yahoo Sports, the club has reportedly been scouting him since his high school days, which was a decade ago. Virtually zero public discussion had occurred about the Astros possibly signing him.

This news of them using a flying under the radar approach monitoring him over the last decade to then choosing the start of 2026 to capitalize when no one else has is an admirable move by the front office and general manager Dana Brown.

Great For Houston To Market Japanese Fans

Also, the Astros could likely be using this signing as a marketing strategy to bring in Japanese fans. The recent 15-year partnership with Daikin Industries, the Japanese company specializing in chemical products, electronics, and HVAC systems, replaced the once beloved park of Minute Maid into Daikin Park.

Changing the park name to a Japanese company is a calculated approach. According to Ari Alexander, owner Jim Crane has been overall pleased with his partnership with Daikin and thought "having high level Japanese players would be a positive marketing-wise."

The best player in the MLB is Shohei Ohtani, who is from Japan. Japanese fans have followed Ohtani in droves wherever he goes in the MLB and in any other baseball tournament he plays in.

Since joining the Dodgers, Japanese fans have exponentially increased in the overall Dodger fanbase. When he was on the Angels, the same thing happened.

According to Josh Sim of SportsPro, Global viewership for the regular season in 2024 jumped b18% compared to 2023, with Asian television audiences surging 32%. This is due to Ohtani signing with the Dodgers.

Crane and Brown's recent moves on the marketing and player side when it comes to adding Japanese viewers are fully aware of this and how much attention it will bring to the city of Houston Astros baseball.

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Jeremy Gretzer
JEREMY GRETZER

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