Astros' Tatsuya Imai excels in first bullpen appearance against Blue Jays
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 4, 2026, 5:15 AM
Last updated Aug 4, 2026
On August 3, 2026, Tatsuya Imai of the Houston Astros delivered a strong performance in his first time out of the bullpen, throwing three perfect innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. Despite the Astros losing the game 3-1, Imai struck out five batters and only faced nine during his outing. This season, Imai has fluctuated between effectiveness and difficulty as a starter but showed potential in his new role. Astros manager Apple Espada praised Imai's dominance, although Imai is unsure about his future as a starter, focusing instead on continuing to perform well in relief.
- •Imai recorded five strikeouts across three perfect innings.
- •Houston fell to Toronto 3-1 in the game.
- •The Astros' offense left 13 runners on base.
- •Imai primarily used sliders and fastballs during his outing.
- •Espada hopes Imai's bullpen stint is brief, signaling a possible return to the rotation.
- 5:15 AMYahoo Sports — Astros' Tatsuya Imai sticks to two pitches, dominates Blue Jays in first time out of bullpen
"Tatsuya Imai didn't declare he was ready to return to the starting rotation, but he let his stuff do the talking, throwing three perfect innings in his first time out of the bullpen.
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