The Houston Astros made a signing last winter that they hoped would vault them into contention at the top of the American League.
It only sort of worked. They did win the AL West Division, but they made it to the playoffs with the worst record of a team ever into the postseason, and they were swept immediately by the White Sox.
So sure, the Astros got back in front of the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. But did they really do the right things?
One of the moves they hoped would help was the signing of Tatsuya Imai to a three-year, $54 million contract to come aboard from Japan and lead the rotation.
That, though, is one of the moves that was bumpier than Houston would’ve expected.
And now, Imai has a weird amount of control in his hands. The Astros could lose him already.
Tatsuya Imai Contract Decision
Imai’s three-year deal with the Astros actually included an opt-out after each season.
That means that he came in knowing that he could pitch one season for the Astros, or two seasons for the Astros, or three seasons for the Astros.
Houston has no control, as these opt-outs are essentially player options, not club options.
All the Astros can do is watch and wonder what Imai will do.
The right-hander also had some innings-laden bonuses in his deal for the future years, but then he had a messy season, so he didn’t reach all of those.
Imai was paid $16.67 million in 2026.
If he stays with his contract for next season, Imai would make $18.67 million in 2027 — and the 2028 dollar amount currently looks the same, although a healthy season would notch a few of the innings bonuses in 2027 and bump up the 2028 salary.
This brings Imai to a decision to make — does he stick with the Astros for a pretty sizable sum? Or does he opt-out and hope to find an intriguing new deal from a different team.
The Deciding Factor
Money always matters, and there’s no way to know just how much it’ll pay a factor in Imai’s decision.
But this does feel like a case where his true experience of his first season in MLB will matter. Was he comfortable with the Astros? Did he feel they made the most of what he can do?
Imai came to MLB already as a seasoned professional. He doesn’t have a reason to stick around if his situation isn’t what he feels is best for him.
And given that the 2026 campaign was as ugly as it was for Imai and the Astros, there’s certainly reason to believe he might decide to start fresh.
Maybe he doesn’t even get the same amount of money in free agency. Just the idea of finding the right home for himself in MLB will likely be the priority.
Astros Could Lose $54 Million Signing After 1 Season