NEW YORK — Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai, once a fixture in the starting rotation, now finds himself in a state of prepared limbo within the bullpen. Manager Joe Espada confirmed Thursday that the club has instructed Imai to “stay ready” despite his sparse workload this month.
The directive comes as Houston navigates a grueling stretch of 13 consecutive games without a day off. Imai had not taken the mound in six days entering Thursday’s series finale against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, but Espada assured he will see action during this demanding window, though his exact role remains undefined.
Since his last start on July 27, Imai has logged three relief outings, each spanning three innings. He has not been utilized in a conventional short-relief capacity, even as the Astros’ bullpen shoulders a heavy burden that has effectively left the unit short-handed. The club has also declined to clarify whether Imai might return to the rotation down the stretch, even for a spot start. Espada sidestepped the question Tuesday, stating he “can’t tell you yes or no.” Imai carries a 5.83 ERA across 15 starts this season, including five outings of fewer than three innings.
Houston will turn to Hunter Brown for Friday’s series opener against the Mets at Citi Field, with the subsequent two games’ starters yet to be announced. Espada indicated Imai could factor into the pitching plans for that series in some fashion.
“There’s opportunities for him there, there’s opportunities for him tonight,” Espada said prior to Thursday’s game. “So it’s just day to day and we’ll continue to communicate with him and just keep him ready and keep him fresh.”
The Astros signed Imai last offseason to a three-year contract with a base value of $54 million, featuring opt-out clauses after each season and performance bonuses tied to innings thresholds of 80, 90, and 100 in the first year. Houston has deployed 17 different starting pitchers this season, matching a franchise record.
