With Opening Day mere days away, now is the time when basically anyone with a pulse share there there predictions and takes on the Houston Astros for 2026. Most are either so safe that they are predictions that aren't worth making or are so outlandish that they almost read as satire. It is a difficult tight rope to walk, but there does seem to be room for a bold (but not crazy) prediction when it comes to arguably the biggest acquisition the Astros made this past offseason.
While Mike Burrows has been getting most of the plaudits lately, Tatsuya Imai still has a very strong claim to being the most important move the Astros made before the 2026 season.