The White Sox shocked the world last offseason when they agreed to a deal with Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami in December. Prior to that deal, the White Sox hadn’t signed a player directly from Japan since Tadahito Iguchi in 2005, and they hoped this deal would open up a whole new market for talent. It seemed like that might be the case even earlier than expected when Yahoo Japan reported that the White Sox were a serious suitor for star right-hander Tatsuya Imai. Ultimately, Imai went to Houston, and it doesn’t sound like the White Sox seriously pursued him. That decision seems stronger by the day.
In an inconsistent rookie season, Imai posted a 4.93 ERA in 76.2 innings for the Astros. While he held hitters to just a .207 average in that span, 51 walks were way too many, and his control would often leave him for an entire game. Imai struggled in his first three starts before missing over a month due to arm fatigue. He had a better May and June upon his return but struggled in July and was moved to the bullpen for the remainder of the season. Imai did not pitch in the Astros Wild Card series against the White Sox. With an opt out in his contract or an $18 million option for next year, Imai unsurprisingly chose not to opt out and will return to Houston in 2027.
Back-to-back starts with double-digit strikeouts for Tatsuya Imai 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rDHFDcbePV
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2026
White Sox are fortunate to not be held back by Tatsuya Imai's contract in 2027
It’s certainly starting to feel like a good thing that those rumors about Imai and the White Sox weren’t true. Not only did they dodge a bullet because of Imai’s poor showing in 2026, but having a struggling pitcher under contract for $18 million next season could seriously inhibit what the team would be able to do in free agency. The White Sox already have one bad pitching contract in Luis Castillo and can ill-afford another.
Best case scenario for Imai and the Astros, it was just a rough period while he adjusted to facing big league hitters. Perhaps Imai bounces back and has a strong second season, making the $18 million salary worthwhile and landing himself a larger deal next year, where he has another opt-out in his contract. But there’s a history of inconsistency among players coming over from the Pacific Rim. Some become superstars and some fizzle out. Imai will need to bounce back to avoid becoming the latter.
The Imai situation can be a lesson for the White Sox about giving significant money to unproven talent. Things have worked out well so far for Munetaka Murakami, and the White Sox are likely to extend him. But it’s always riskier to pursue players who haven’t had big league success before, and relying on them for the team to succeed is how teams underperform. In their offseason pursuits, I’d like to see the White Sox target players who have been consistently successful at the big league level, even if it’s costly. There’s a lesson to be learned from the Tatsuya Imai contract and recent decision, but for White Sox fans, it should just be a sign of relief.
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