Japanese pitcher Imai Tatsusya (28, Houston Astros) had a shaky return to the mound after injury.
On May 13 (Korean time) at Daikin Park in Texas, Imai made the start against the Seattle Mariners. He lasted just 4 innings, allowing 6 runs on 5 hits (including 2 home runs), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. His team fell 2-10, handing Imai his first loss of the season. His ERA jumped from 7.27 to 9.24.
Imai had last started on April 11 against Seattle but exited after just 37 pitches due to arm discomfort. Returning from the injury, he again struggled against the Mariners. After a clean first inning, he surrendered a two-run homer to Randy Arozarena in the second. The fourth inning proved a nightmare: he loaded the bases with two hit batters and a walk, then allowed a grand slam to Dominic Canzone on a first-pitch slider that hung over the heart of the plate—a 381-foot (116.1 m) blast.
Imai entered MLB via the posting system last offseason, signing a three-year, $54 million (approximately 807 billion Korean won) deal with Houston. Expected to secure a spot in the starting rotation, he has so far failed to meet those expectations. Japanese media outlet Sponichi Annex reported that he “showed inconsistency in his first appearance in 32 days.”
