Houston Astros’ Tatsuya Imai ‘not able to adjust to the American lifestyle,’ interpreter says

HOUSTON — In his first public feedback since being sidelined with proper arm fatigue, Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai acknowledged he has struggled to adapt to life within the United States — each on the baseball discipline and on the dinner desk.

“He’s not able to adjust to the American lifestyle,” Imai’s interpreter, Shio Enomoto, mentioned. “Baseball and outside of baseball. That’s probably the reason (for his arm fatigue).”

He made three begins for the Houston Astros earlier than being positioned on the injured checklist. Imaging on Imai’s arm has been “pretty positive,” supervisor Joe Espada mentioned Monday, however it’s nonetheless unclear when Imai might resume a throwing program.

Imai, who signed a three-year, $54 million contract this winter, has a 7.27 ERA throughout his first 8 2/3 major-league innings. He is considered one of three Astros beginning pitchers on the IL with none timeline for a return.

“I think the strength of the arm is still not quite there yet, but it’s coming around. All the tests have come back (with) no issues. Just trying to get that strength back,” Espada mentioned. “Once the arm strength starts coming back, then we can start talking about him playing catch.”

Imai recorded one out in his final begin, Friday towards the Seattle Mariners, after which Imai talked about the mound at T-Mobile Park “was really hard” and he struggled to pitch in 64-degree climate, one thing “not usual in Japan.”

The 27-year-old is the primary Japanese participant the Astros have ever signed straight from Nippon Professional Baseball, breeding no less than some expectation for struggles whereas he adjusted to a brand new tradition and baseball calendar.

Throughout spring coaching, the group allowed Imai to supply suggestions on his schedule and dictate how he constructed himself up. Imai appeared to don’t have any points, throwing properly in three Grapefruit League begins whereas holding frequent conversations together with his teammates within the clubhouse.

During spring, although, Imai did acknowledge some difficulties throwing with major-league baseballs, that are slicker than these utilized in NPB. Team officers allowed Imai to proceed throwing bullpen classes someday earlier than his begins — which is peculiar for major-league pitchers, however one thing Imai mentioned he often did in Japan.

Asked Monday whether or not he deliberate to regulate his routine or throwing schedule within the wake of his arm fatigue, Imai replied, “No, not really,” in keeping with Enomoto. Imai made every of his final two begins on 5 days of relaxation, which is frequent in NPB, the place groups deploy a six-man rotation.

In response to a query of whether or not the major-league throwing schedule factored into his arm fatigue, Imai as an alternative pointed to issues off the sector. Imai talked about each the journey and completely different timing for meals. The Astros simply accomplished a three-city, 10-game street journey by means of Sacramento, Denver and Seattle.

“For example, the travel is different from Japan,” Imai mentioned, in keeping with Enomoto. “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.

“He thought it would be the same as in Japan, for example, eating dinner at the hotel. He thinks, even though he’s on the IL right now, he thinks it’s a positive thing to try and adjust and try to become better.”