The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Tatsuya Imai Introductory Press Conference - Houston Astros

Episode Date: January 5, 2026

The Houston Astros introduced new starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai on Monday. Here is his introductory press conference. 

A man of the hour, I may, and his attorney, Scott Boris, and today's translator, Kevin Ando is here. So without further ado, I'm going to turn it over to Dana Brown right now. Go ahead, Dana. All right, thank you. Thanks a lot, Gene. Welcome, everybody. Thank you all for coming here.

Today is an exciting day for us in this organization and for our fan base. We had goals set out to sign starting pitching this offseason, and we also had goals to to, you know, get into the Japan market and get into baseball market over there in Japan. And so it was exciting, you know, because we had the support of Jim Crane, you know, who's backing us, you know, all the time. And so with that, Scott Borish and I on Friday came to an agreement to sign my man right here, to say you, to say y'all, I get it right, to sue you. Imai, and so I'm still working on my language here.

But, you know, we're excited to have him here to be a part of this organization. And we're all thrilled here. And this is a big moment for us. And we want to welcome, you know, his wife as well. Thank you for coming. We have a warm welcome for you and for your four dogs, too, as well. And so, you know, this is an exciting time. for us now to to get this done and you know with that I would let Kevin

translate maybe what I said okay um... first, uh... this, uh... this way, you know, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you very much thank you very much season of, uh, the off-season of the main, um, there were, uh, some of the lot of the, uh, yeah, I really, uh, in the market to this, uh, this kind of I want to puttie

to puttick it. And, it was there also, Crane's support

and this Friday Scott and the contract was and we can't

get up and and all the team and this team is so we're

very Then again, my wife, who, uh, uh, uh, uh, thank you and also, uh, four-h-he-no,

uh, y'n chan, so, uh, okay, Dana. And with that, we'll give the presentation of the jersey.

Everybody stand against. This is the Tatsuya EMI conference, and again, you don't need to hear about the standing of the uniform, Ross, but much better than Dana? Yeah, Dana's got to work on that. Yeah.

name a little bit. There is an interpreter obviously because E-Mai does not speak a word of English. We can tell you all on the dais. You've got Joe Espada. You have Dana Brown. Scott Boris wearing a How would you describe that? Orangey plaid tweed? Is it a tweed jacket?

Are they taking questions yet? Oh, no. No. No. applause. Okay. The interpreter's up there. Scotty B. like the asteros, Ross. Scotty B does. Back to the press conference. There's some crickets in the background. He was going to wear number 45.

Okay guys, we can be seated now. Before we are opening up the questions, Jim or Scott, did you guys want to say a couple of words about, I may? about I may be my excuse me well I'll start to God let you take over but I'm just wanted to thank Dana and Joe for working hard on this deal and we're very excited to have my with us unbelievable as far us here in Houston I think he'll get big support here and I just want to say I'm you know one of the things that made this possible is with our great partners in the front row Taka would

you stand up the chief the chief marking officer of dyken diken park thank you sir okay scott um i'm gonna thank jim and dana um certainly recommend jim's restaurant by the way that was very good jim thank you for the hospitality and it needs you too um the um we had a great experience here with Kakuchi coming both on an internal and external basis in the community and everyone involved and we got the chance to tell Tatsuya all about that and the comfort he had here and the support he received from the staff and coming here and improving as a player how well he pitched in the ballpark and Tatsuya has a tremendous arm an arm that is probably for many standards, something that we'll grow to know to be something of supreme

talent. And so I'm excited for Houston and excited that Tatsuya begins here. Thank you. Okay, Tatsuya, here's your opportunity and say a few words. Hey. What's up, A. Sean? I'm Tatsuya. I'm Tatsuya. I'm ready to chase away championship. Let's go. Houston. Thank you so much. Very well said. We're going to open up the questions. Now I mentioned earlier in English first and then we'll switch over the Japanese question. So raise your hand. We have people with microphones hanging around. We got Chandler here first and then Kim and Matt over here. Okay. Hi Tatsuya. Welcome to Houston. The asteros of

not had a lengthy list of a Japanese presence on their team. How much did that maybe intrigue you as being one of the first Japanese players that could come here and really make an imprint in this organization? Well, basically, the Astros' of the Q-Dunuching was a Japanese-senship or in the history of, in a lot of the history of, I'm not not in

that's so in the way in Houston in the decision to keep

to go out of the time there's any of any of world

champion to make that the plane a plane

on on I'm on so that's that's that's

sure I'm just very excited to again go after and chase a world

championship here and perform for a great organization like the Astros. And, you know, that's why I made the long 12-hour trip to be here. Okay, Kim, Matt, Chris, see you, and then, Brian. Hi, I have a question. You mentioned that you wanted to sign a pitcher and if you wanted to get into the Japanese market,

when you talk about why you wanted to get the Japanese market in, are you done for this year? No, we're not done yet. we're still trying to sign other players, but as far as the Japanese market, look, we wanted to be active. We know that there's some very good players coming from Japan, and, you know, these guys are becoming part of championship caliber teams, and so, you know, we were so focused, you know, on getting in that market. You know, our partnership now with Dykin is very important to us as well. You know, we're locked in and over there, so it's exciting time for us.

Okay, Matt, Christy then Brian. Hi, Nancy. What were some of the factors in your decision and what ultimately did this is the good investment for you? Thank you. Let's let's let's

let's let's let's much of the but that you the one

the one you know I was this this team to and the world champion

that I was the team that it was you know obviously I had the privilege to have

a couple of other offers as well on the table, but, you know, at the end of the day, I truly believed that here in Houston with the Astros might be able to seriously take a shot at the World Series and make a run, and just thought that this would be the best fit for myself. Okay, Christy and Brian. After playing professionally in Japan for so long, what do you think will be some of the challenges of making the move to the MLB? In Japan from here, here to come to the most

difficult to change to something, I think. Toulouse can't be short, and, you know, I think, you know, there's the same thing, so that's the point of the time of, I think,

it's a day of it, I'm a lot of sort of from, learn to, and then a day to make a team to get in this way

to do you know, I'm going to do you know the obvious changes pitching on shorter days rest four days and then in Japan

obviously there's no time difference that I would have to adjust to but you know those challenges are definitely going to be there but I look forward

to you know overcoming those challenges and learning and growing as a player and hopefully be able to make a quick adjustment in my first year. And, you know, definitely want to just be able to jump in with the guys and get to know my new teammates. Okay, Brian, Leah, and then over here.

Thank you. What was important to get into the Japanese market and... Well, people assisting to identify talent over there now. We just made that adjustment in the summer. Probably didn't have much to do with this one, but it will have a lot to do moving forward as we work on those markets to try to bring the great players here to Houston. Okay, Leah, then over here.

Katz, you know. Hi, welcome to Houston. One of the big things here is the food scene, so where have you been to eat, and what are some places you're excited to explore in the city? Houston, you're welcome. So, this is the food

of the food is quite famous and many of food and there's now. Now, what

did you have been to? And also, the other what are there? Last night,

the hotel of a restaurant and lamb chop and I'm now,

I'm never really haven't never So just yesterday last night, it was at the restaurant and the hotel, but I tried some lamb chops for the first time. Definitely was an adventure, you know, but I loved it. You know, first time trying something like that, but I loved it. I'm looking forward to trying some more lamb chops in the new future.

Okay, over here, then Javier, then Dan. Tanya, welcome to Houston. When did you know that you wanted to come to major league baseball to the U.S. and who they have inspired you? What do no time in MLB in play to play to play with you? Do you, like, Iqqarer of players or, there are, are there?

Is there? You know? Um, um, that, um, that, um, that, uh, contract to, uh, contract with, really, uh, four years ago,

before, but, uh, that wasn't, no, I didn't, uh, so there,

maybe, maybe, maybe, I'm, I think, I'm, trying to, I'm going to

think of, it's, Yeah, so I'd want to say five years ago is when I had the privilege to meet Mr. Boris over here. And that's when I, you know, really began to seriously consider making my way over to the MLB. It was definitely at a moment where I told myself, hey, if I put in the work and if I trust myself, I really do have a chance at this. Hey, Javier and Dan? Yeah, welcome to you. So, former Astro player, Castro, Matsui, was your manager in Japan between

23 and 24? Have you spoken with the game before or after signing? Mr. Most Astros'n, Matzai, Matti, San, in the country, in the second of the year, in 2003 and year, kind of, was kind of

it was the time. The contract got to have been to the last you have

done by the I'm sure actually just I'm on the two

the two of the team to know that's and

that after sometimes sometimes to come to get to and

sometimes I say sometimes I'm just now now

I'm just now If Kazzo's son, you know, if you're going to get if he's going to because he's going to because he's going to

be going to be a lot of I think he's going to unfortunately he had to leave the organization mid-season and so because of that, unfortunately I haven't been able to keep in touch with them very closely.

Obviously seeing hi here and there. And so, yeah, I haven't been able to speak with him yet, but I definitely am looking forward to it. And I would definitely make my day if he were to be able to come over here to Houston. I'm sure, you know, he loves golf, so I'm sure he's definitely going to be able to find himself a nice golf course out here as well. Here we got Dan, Chandler, Brian, and then Kim again. Hi, gratso, Houston, and Yokostal. That's as far as my Japanese goes. What feels you as I can go ahead of that?

That's not going to have that. That's the way from where from from school from from school from to get to anybody more more than ball to talk to or anybody more

a lot of time to make to make sure from the school from the time from the Lions's in when it's in the school it's been

big up it, I think, it's going to, it's going to get to be so I'm going to really, I feel like that, I feel even even, I feel

even though, I think it I've been, ever since I started playing baseball back in elementary school, I was always, I felt like was a competitor, wanted to always come out on top, throw the ball, the furthest, the fastest,

And, you know, that's really, that mentality stuck with me throughout my career with the Sebu Lions. And, you know, that mentality of the must win, you know, and compete and do my best, that mentality, I feel like, has stuck with me ever since elementary school. Okay, Chandler, Brian Kham, and then Christy. Tatsuya, Scott mentioned Yusay Kukuchi's experience over here and how much he enjoyed it. Have you been able to speak to him either before you signed or since you signed about what he experienced here? And then maybe Scott, if you could also add, what about that experience resonated so well with you guys to make this partnership happen? Well, Scott's Sam, before, Yusei, and Kikuchi's, hewisone, and hewisone, and hewis-on-to-ke-in-you-tie-tie-knie-kitted. I've got this

and play that's I'm like to I'm saying I'm and I'm

can't do you can't do you do with or do you know

I'm a major to come after I'm not not but

actually in Astros to contract when I know

I'm on on say I'm and I'm I'm

I'm here I'm not what I know I'm any

any I'm and He said, he said, really, he's really a very strong senpye. Yeah, so, ever since he came over to the MLB,

unfortunately, I wasn't necessarily in close contact with him. But right when I signed with Houston, he reached out immediately, congratulating me, and also mentioned, hey,

like, if you need anything, if you ever need anything, let me know, and I'll be there for you. I've known Tatsuya for five years. And I'm going to thank to Calabino and Toxato, who are employees based and they monitor the Nippon Baseball League very closely. And my first meeting and watching Tatsuya pitch was he had an air by the shortstop and then another air by the second baseman.

And he then struck out the next three batters and probably saw the most emotion I'd seen from him as a player. And I asked him after the game, I said, what motivates you? What compels you? And he says, there's nothing better than picking up your teammates and making sure that you can help them through the process and the rewards you get from that. And I knew immediately he was built for Major League Baseball after that. Okay, Brian Kim, Christy, then Matt? Did you want to interpret that or for that for the media? No.

Japanese mean, I don't know. I don't know if there's Japanese. Right, that is like to say, right. Okay, good. Scott, what was the courtship of eBay like as far as the Astros? How far back did it go? What are the sort of the steps that, you know, you have in place for, you know, player coming from Japan?

Dana and I, you know, meet annually at the general manager meetings, and we lock them in the room for a couple hours. And then we have discussions about their needs and what they're doing. And, of course, he had had a full dossier on Tatsuya and said, look, this is somebody we may want to reach back to you about and talk to you about. And so we've been in dialogue since then about the possibility of him coming here. Okay, Kim, Christine, then Matt. Hi, Jill, Happy New Year. Can you talk about what adding EMI, Sidway, so meeting to your pitching staff and how excited you are to add him to you?

Yeah, thank you. I'm super fired up because you guys well know the importance of starting pitching. You could never have enough pitching. But one thing that my conversations with Emma has been, the few conversations, how much he says the world champion. And that really, I love that about him because he's a competitor. He's, you could hear the grid and the toughness. And I'm just excited to have him on board and give him the ball and see him compete for us here.

And help him through those challenges that he mentioned. We have, we added some pieces, and I'm sure that we'll make sure we put in the best position for him to succeed. Okay, Christy, Matt, and then over here, and then, Chairman. I was wondering for people that don't know you, how would you describe yourself as a person, and what kind of teammate are you? Umayayi, Imae, I was a very, like, very, like, a kind of character that is a lot of, you know, and then, what kind of teammate is, um, um, well, to any kind of, like, like, like, I want to

I'm a motto and, of the yeah, it's quite this this because

of the fan of the people to and I'm to get out and and all of people

and, also, support, and support here, now here here, so you know,

so you and that kind of, of course, it's all of things to try and I like this, that's the same. Personality-wise, yeah, I just like to have fun, whether if it's baseball or non-baseball, you know, and that includes, you know, interacting with fans and just having a good time with them as well.

And, you know, I also, I feel like have that feeling of wanting to give back to all those who have all those who have supported me. I feel like I'm here today because of, you know, all the support that I've received. And just overall, I look forward to challenges, and I guess that's my personality. Okay, Matt, then over here, then Chandler. We've got time for just a couple more in English, okay? Just for you, Dana and Joe, obviously, committee, the office in the fortified rotation with the least priority. How would you describe the state of rotation now? Do you feel like you're done that in there? Yeah, so one of the big points for us this offseason was to beef up the rotation and, you know, getting a guy like Emi is just, it's big.

It's a big part of what we're going to do and what we're doing here. So we feel good about the rotation right now. As I've always said, I'm always in the market for pitching because it's 162 games and you never know how tough the season is going to be with injuries. So you're always looking for pitching. but we feel pretty good about the rotation right now. Yeah, just to add, you know, important to continue to add, and we've done a really nice job adding. First month of the season, we played 25 games in 27 days,

so important to have enough pieces just to get us going to get out to a good start. And, you know, this guy right here, really exciting to have him because he's going to contribute right off the bat. Okay, we get over here. Then Chandler, then one more after that over here. This is for Joe, well, I just want to say welcome you in Maysan. Joe, if you can answer also in Spanish, I will appreciate it. First, are you planning on taking some Japanese lessons?

And how is the process for a player, as experienced, but adapting as quickly as possible for the MLB level? Yes, on the Japanese, I'm going to try, I'm going to work really hard trying to learn some Japanese, be able to communicate with him. And in Spanish, it's a very important the first time

that I've had the opportunity to direct a player Japanese and learn to learn their culture,

is very important and help us to help us to help us to know the things that he needs and put him

in a position to him to triumphing in the terrain of the game is a day very special

for us for us for us and for me as a person to be a person

to be a post-temporary something that I bring much a legria. Okay, Chandler, then one more over here. Two really quick. Tatsuya, will you pitch in the WBC? WPC to

make it to make it not. As of right now, no plans to participate. And then Jim, you mentioned wanting to get boots on the ground in the Pacific Rim and in Asia. I guess, has there been like an inflection point or something that has really enhanced

to your desire to expand you guys' footprint into that market? Well, that's an easy one. I mean, the Dodgers kind of led the way there, and I've got an international company, so it was pretty easy to kind of set up quickly in there and give those guys a place to work and communicate back here in our system. So we'll be moving pretty fast in Asia and continue to focus on that and evaluate all the talent over there so we can hopefully get some more of them over here to play and to deepen. the team. I think, you know, you can really see the Asian market as the players coming

out of there are really equivalent or better than some of the guys we have here. So it was kind of untapped, and I think until we had the Otani effect, and I think a lot of people are focused on it, but we'll be laser-focused on it moving forward. Okay, last two right here. On a lighter note, Houston, in the term of endearment, likes to give its players nicknames. We have diesel, we got spaghetti, we got the reptile, or the reptile, Christian Javier. There's been a couple of nicknames thrown about for Mr. Tatuya, in line with a very popular ramen noodle chain, ramen tautsuya.

How receptive of you that term of endearment for now? Yeah, Houston, in the nickname, adana, who take down there are many of them there are many other names, a lot of other than other than one of the top of you know, I think, so you know what about, what do you know what,

ramen got from where from I don't know. Well, of course, the team-mate, team staff, including, and the fan of the people, you know, to see-it-as-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-you-be-y-y-y-n't-y-y-know what kind of a name that really I don't really know where this whole ramen thing came from, but, yeah, you know, at the end of the day,

a name that really sticks, you know, within my teammates, teammates and obviously the staff and most importantly the fans you know a nickname that is easy to remember and pronounce I think would be ideal okay last one in English we'll switch to Japanese well me Houston Tatsuya have you have been contacted with any of your new teammates or coaching staff and if so who has been like the one player you're interested working with at your time in Houston So, um,

other team-mate to, uh, coach or to, you know, uh,

that's uh, do not the team mate with a, uh, we're doing,

we're doing, uh, I'm, uh, Instagram, hit it, uh, josh,

Hedder, Tosueh, uh, Instagram, uh, message, me and, uh,

uh, you know, so Houston to and you kind of, um, um, come out,

uh, to you know, when I was to call to me, to call to call me to call to come up to call back and I'm 60 about and I'm

160 kilgely to buy it and I'm yeah so this morning I woke up to a lovely notification from Instagram

a follow from Josh Hayter and a DM as well just basically welcoming me to the Houston Astros and you know he also sent me

his phone number saying hey let me know if you ever need, if you ever need anything. And so, you know, his, his messaging was a very fast, 100 miles per hour, it felt like, and I definitely want to reply back with a 100 mile per hour reply. All right, folks, let's switch over to Japanese. Right, that is the press conference again today that the English portion from Tatsuya E. Mai.

Whatup, H, did he say what up H-town? Yeah. Did he throw the ages up? I don't know. Well, he was doing that at the Texans game. Yeah. He looks like he's going to be a fit right in for however long it's going to be. In three-year deal, there are opt-outs.

That's what baseball does, and hopefully Kyle Tucker do the same thing here shortly. We don't know that yet for whatever team he happens to choose from. Reputation's good, very successful, likes the fact he'll get extra days rest here as compared to playing with the Japanese I pitch much more often. But it makes a lot of sense. First of all, I think it does help build a relationship between Scott Boris and his clients. That can't hurt. There is Deakin Park that is a – Dyken's a huge sponsor.

It was Jim Crane was thanking the president or whatever, the executives. And probably acted as a conduit between the two. And my guess, I wouldn't be totally surprised if Tatsua does some sort of endorsement deal down the road with them. Absolutely. It wasn't – Jose Al-Tube was in some Deikin advertisements. It'll all work out. All right. We are super late for break, obviously.

Got to stay cool in the summer. yeah believe it or not today is all things about the fire coaches you know what i don't know if we have time we do have time