Tatsuya Imai will pitch for the Houston Astros next year on a short-term, opt-out full contract. He would have been a superb match for the New York Mets if they saw value in him. Apparently not. Whether it was concern over how he’ll transition to MLB or simply the ceiling which has him profiling as another Kodai Senga at best, he won’t be wearing blue and orange next year outside of maybe some sort of specialty uniform the Astros might reveal.
Where do the Mets go next? They can certainly trade for a starting pitcher, if they’re willing to meet the asking price.