The Houston Astros and Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai agreed to a three-year, $54-million deal as the deadline for Imai to sign with a major league team approached. The deal has opt-outs after each of the first two seasons. The deadline for Imai to sign a deal with an MLB team was this afternoon by 5 p.m. and the Phillies were hoping he would decide to join their rotation in 2026. Imai is represented by Scott Boras.

The contract has a number of interesting variables other than the opt-outs. There is a $2-million signing bonus and a $16-million salary for 2026 with both 2027 and 2028 carrying salaries of $18-million per season. Here’s where it gets interesting: His salary for 2027 would jump by $2-million if-and-when he reaches 80, 90, and 100 innings during 2026 for a potential total of an additional $6-million. Reaching those plateaus also boosts his 2028 salary by $1-million per level for another $3-million or a total of $9-million in bonuses.

Both New York teams, the Cubs, Phillies, and Orioles were all negotiating to sign Imai. The Astros had not been mentioned as a serious suitor for the 27-year-old right-hander. The inclusion of opt-outs would have been a reason for the Phillies to opt-out of signing Imai, since they do not give opt-outs in contracts.

Imai is coming off the best season of his career for the Saitama Seibu Lions, posting a 1.92 ERA. He was projected to receive a longer deal of somewhere in the area of six years worth around $150-million or an average annual value of $25-million. His current deal without the bonuses has an AAV of $18-million and escalates to $21-million if he were to reach all of his potential bonuses on innings pitched.

The Lions will receive an amount somewhere in the area of $9.975-million for allowing Imai to leave. That total is also the responsibility of the Astros.

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