The Astros are moving Tatsuya Imai to the bullpen beginning with this weekend’s series against Texas, manager Joe Espada told reporters (link via Chandler Rome of The Athletic). It’s the third time in 15 starts that Imai hasn’t gotten out of the first inning. Imai has shown flashes of the upside that made him the top pitcher coming over from Japan last winter. Imai told reporters that the Astros had not approached him about his willingness to pitch in Triple-A. Espada told reporters the righty “has shown that he belongs at the major league level.”