Astros' $54M Pitcher Blames Arm Fatigue on Adjusting to American Lifestyle

Tatsuya Imai says travel, meal timing differences from Japan are causing issues

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:37pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion broken down into sharp, overlapping planes in muted earth tones, conceptually representing the challenges a foreign player faces adjusting to a new country and culture.A cubist interpretation of a foreign-born MLB pitcher's struggle to adapt to the American lifestyle and its impact on his performance.Houston Today

Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai, who signed a 3-year, $54 million contract with the Houston Astros this offseason, has been placed on the injured list with right arm fatigue. Imai says the adjustment to the American lifestyle, including differences in travel and meal timing compared to Japan, is likely the reason for his arm issues.

Why it matters

Imai was expected to be a key part of the Astros' starting rotation this season after a successful career in Japan's NPB league. His struggles to adapt to the American lifestyle and the resulting injury raise questions about how foreign players can successfully transition to MLB and the challenges they face off the field.

The details

Imai, 27, said through an interpreter that the differences in travel schedules and meal timing between the U.S. and Japan have been difficult to adjust to. In Japan, players typically eat dinner at their hotel after games, but in the U.S., they eat at the stadium. Imai also cited the overall adjustment to the American lifestyle outside of baseball as a factor in his arm fatigue.

  • Imai was recently placed on the injured list with right arm fatigue.
  • In his first 8.2 MLB innings across 3 starts, Imai had a 7.27 ERA.

The players

Tatsuya Imai

A 27-year-old Japanese pitcher who signed a 3-year, $54 million contract with the Houston Astros this offseason after an 8-year career in Japan's NPB league.

Shio Enomoto

Imai's interpreter who relayed his comments about struggling to adjust to the American lifestyle.

Houston Astros

The MLB team that signed Imai to a 3-year, $54 million contract in the offseason.

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What they’re saying

“He's not able to adjust to the American lifestyle. Baseball and outside of baseball. That's probably the reason (for his arm fatigue).”

— Shio Enomoto, Imai's interpreter

“For example, the travel is different from Japan. The timing when the players eat. In Japan, when they get back to the hotel, they eat their dinner. Here, the players eat at the stadium.”

— Tatsuya Imai

“He thought it would be the same as in Japan, for example, eating dinner at the hotel.”

— Tatsuya Imai

What’s next

Imai does not currently have a timeline for his return from the injured list, and the Astros will have to determine how to best support his adjustment to the American lifestyle and MLB during his recovery.

The takeaway

Imai's struggles to adapt to the American lifestyle, including differences in travel schedules and meal timing, highlight the challenges foreign players can face when transitioning to MLB. Teams will need to provide more comprehensive support to help international players successfully integrate both on and off the field.