MLB Latest
Tatsuya Imai allowed two earned runs over six innings against the Brewers. Tim Warner / Getty Images
HOUSTON — Every fifth or sixth day, thresholds are crossed, limits are tested and new wrinkles are unearthed. Each of Tatsuya Imai’s starts is instructive, even those that have tried patience and prompted panic. His response to them is important, an indicator of how he will handle the tumultuous nature of a major-league season.
Imai’s imperfect introduction has lowered expectations, but not diminished his importance to a Houston Astros team trying to recover from a 19-30 start. For that to occur, Imai must morph into something resembling a reliable starting pitcher — one with confidence in both his stuff and himself.
Steps toward that self-assurance are starting to appear, even if they sometimes aren’t apparent when reading a linescore. Within each one of Imai’s starts are moments that seem minuscule to some, but they are seminal to him while searching for stability. Sometimes one arrives before even coming set.
