For a few weeks there, the San Diego Padres being in the mix for Tatsuya Imai felt almost too on-brand to ignore. A.J. Preller chasing upside, velocity, and a rotation solution that doesn’t require a five-year commitment — while also giving San Diego another legitimate way to stare down the Dodgers without blinking.
And then Houston walked in and snatched the whole thing.
Jon Heyman was first to report that Imai is heading to the Astros, and that initial surprise quickly turned into reality as the confirmations piled up. Jeff Passan followed with ESPN’s report that Imai and Houston are in agreement.