The Astros open a three-game series in Kansas City tonight after a day off. Tatsuya Imai takes the mound against Luinder Avila. A favorable matchup on paper for Imai and a chance to build on his recent turnaround.
Imai has turned a corner recently. He came into 2026 as one of the most hyped new pitchers in baseball, but struggled early on and took longer to shake those growing pains than anyone expected.
There was a serious shift with the no-hitter against the Rangers on May 25. He has now had two strong starts in a row since that historic outing. In the no-hitter he threw 6 scoreless innings, and in his last start against the Athletics he struck out 8 batters. The signs are pointing to a real turnaround, not a fluke.
Imai is currently 3-3 with a 5.24 ERA and 36 strikeouts, per MLB. The ERA is still high due to his early struggles, but trending down, and in the last two starts he has been a completely different pitcher.
For the Royals, Luinder Avila will take the mound. He is 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA and 28 strikeouts, per MLB. The Royals are 28-41 and one of the weaker teams in the AL. This is a perfect opportunity for Imai to keep the momentum going and for the Astros to start stringing wins together.
The Royals have one of baseball's worst slugging offenses, favorable for a pitcher trying to rebuild confidence.
The Astros are 31-39 and need to start winning series. Imai going deep into the game would give the bullpen a much-needed rest. If he can string together a third strong start in a row the conversation changes completely.
Hunter Brown returning next week makes this stretch even more important.
This is a must-perform start for Imai against a weak opponent. Two strong starts are encouraging, but three in a row would be a statement. The Astros need him to keep it going.
