Astros send pitcher Imai back to Houston with arm fatigue

SEATTLE (AP) — Astros rookie pitcher Tatsuya Imai returned to Houston after his third start to be examined for right arm fatigue.

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A 27-year-old right-hander, Imai got just one out in Friday’s 9-6 loss to Seattle. He allowed three runs, one hit, three walks and a hit batter while throwing 37 pitches.

“Yesterday, he expressed some arm fatigue, so once we heard that we decided to just send him home to be seen by our doctors,” Espada said Saturday.

“Hopefully there is nothing wrong,” Espada added. “Just not good news.”

Imai signed a $54 million, three-year contract and is 1-0 with a 7.27 ERA. He has 11 walks and 13 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

Imai said the mound at T-Mobile Park was really hard and he wasn’t able to adjust. He did not mention any injury Friday when speaking with reporters.

“Once he was done with talking to the media, he mentioned (his injury) to our trainers,” Espada said.

Houston placed right-hander Hunter Brown on the 15-day injured list last Sunday due to a right shoulder strain and right-hander Cristian Javier was put on the IL Friday because of a similar ailment.

Right-hander J.P. France was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land after pitching 2 2/3 innings Friday and right-hander Jayden Murray was recalled from the Space Cowboys. The 29-year-old Murray is 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA in six innings at Sugar Land.

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