White Sox fans had another reason to breathe easier after Tatsuya Imai settled on Houston and chose not to opt out of his contract.
The buzz around Imai and Chicago started building after Yahoo Japan reported the White Sox were a serious suitor for the right-hander. That came on the heels of the club’s surprising December deal with Japanese star Munetaka Murakami, a move that had already signaled an openness to Japan’s talent pool after the White Sox had not signed a player directly from Japan since Tadahito Iguchi in 2005. For a moment, it looked like Chicago might be pushing even further into that market.
Instead, Imai ended up with the Astros, and the White Sox appear not to have been deeply involved. Based on how his first season unfolded, that may be the best outcome for them.
Imai’s rookie year was uneven from start to finish. He finished with a 4.93 ERA across 76.2 innings, and while he limited hitters to a .207 average, the 51 walks were a major problem.
His command disappeared at times for entire outings. He stumbled through his first three starts, then missed more than a month with arm fatigue.
When he returned, May and June were better, but July brought more trouble, and Houston moved him to the bullpen for the rest of the season. He did not pitch in the Astros’ Wild Card series against the White Sox.
With an opt out or an $18 million option for next season, Imai chose the safer path and stayed put, meaning he will return to Houston in 2027.
For the White Sox, that matters. If they had been stuck carrying an $18 million pitcher coming off a rough 2026, it could have squeezed their flexibility in free agency. The club already has one problematic pitching contract in Luis Castillo and does not need another one clogging up the books.
That said, the door is not closed on Imai’s future. If his rookie season was just a rough adjustment to major league hitters, he could rebound, make the salary look reasonable, and set himself up for a bigger payday next year, when another opt out arrives in his deal.
But the track record for players coming over from the Pacific Rim is mixed, with some becoming stars and others falling flat. Imai now has to prove he belongs in the first group.
For the White Sox, the broader takeaway is clear: big money on unproven talent is always a gamble. Murakami has worked out so far, and the White Sox are expected to extend him.
But the Imai situation is a reminder that teams can get burned when they count on players who have not already done it at the highest level. The lesson is there.
For White Sox fans, though, this one mostly just feels like relief.
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