Astros' Tatsuya Imai Reportedly Makes Decision on Contract Option for 2027 MLB Season

Former NPB star Tatsuya Imai is reportedly opting in to at least one more season with the Houston Astros.

Imai is not taking the opt-out available on his contract after 2026, the New York Post 's Jon Heyman reported Thursday.

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Imai is set to receive $18.7 million in salary from the Astros next season, per Spotrac .

The pitcher also holds an opt-out after the 2027 season. Should he decline and accept another $18.7 million for 2028, he could hit free agency ahead of his age-31 campaign in 2029.

Imai signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the two player options on the back end with the Astros after a strong 2025 season with the NPB's Seibu Lions.

He struggled through his first three MLB starts, capping off the run with an appearance during which he recorded just one out while allowing three runs and four walks before he was pulled with the bases loaded. Imai was then placed on IR with right arm fatigue.

The pitcher came back in April and made 12 starts, recording a 5.58 ERA over 50 innings before manager Joe Espada told reporters July 31 he was moved to the bullpen.

Imai went on to make eight relief appearances over the rest of the season, recording a 2.00 ERA in 18 innings in the final two months of the campaign.

He was on the roster for the Astros' Wild Card series against the Chicago White Sox, but the team was swept before he made an appearance.

Imai said in August through an interpreter adjusting to MLB had been more "difficult than I thought," per The Athletic's Chandler Rome .

The interview came after Imai spoke early in the 2026 season about difficulties in adjusting to playing in North America ranging from ball size to mound texture, cooler temperatures and meal times, per MLB.com's Max Ralph and Brian McTaggart .

"For my second year, it won't be my first year, so I'll have to adjust well more and start performing with more consistency," Imai said in August, per Rome.

Imai was one of the NPB's best pitchers in 2025, earning a 10-5 record and recording a 1.92 ERA across 163 2/3 innings.

The Astros have starters including Hunter Brown, Peter Lambert, Cristian Javier and Hayden Wesneski set to return next season. Whether Imai is able to take another step toward replicating his NPB success in North America this summer could impact whether he gets another shot at joining them or returns to the bullpen next season.