The Houston Astros have been searching for a starting pitcher all offseason, and on New Year's Day, they shocked the entire baseball world after agreeing to terms with Japanese pitching sensation Tatsuya Imai. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Imai's deal can max out at $63 million.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers is reporting that Imai's deal with Houston will cover three years and includes opt outs. The deal is reportedly the largest average annual value (AAV) for any Japanese pitcher coming stateside outside of Yoshinobu Yamamoto's agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers.