"Word of the Day" Builds a Bridge of Communication; Astros Help Tatsuya Imai Integrate into the Team

Houston Astros pitcher AJ Blubaugh was among the earliest to welcome new pitcher Tatsuya Imai at the start of last week's spring training. This Japanese star signed a three-year deal in January and is always accompanied by a translator, yet Blubaugh, who hails from Ohio, was eager to learn more about Imai himself.

"How do you say 'Good morning' in Japanese?" he inquired of Imai.

"Ohayo," Imai replied.

"Ohio? That's my hometown!" Blubaugh responded.

This innocent exchange sparked a friendship between two teammates from vastly different parts of the world and cultural backgrounds. The Astros encourage more of these interactions, with manager Joe Espada even saying he plans to teach himself some Japanese.

"I'm doing my best," he said, "It takes some time. We're all trying to learn a bit, not just Japanese, but also Chinese."

Over the past five seasons, the Astros have led the league in the number of international players on their opening roster, with 16 last season alone. Like most clubhouses, the Astros' is a cultural melting pot, blending music, food, fashion, and languages from around the world.

This spring, the Astros' roster includes players from the U.S., Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Cuba, and Taiwan, speaking four different languages. In a sport where communication is crucial, the Astros are working to overcome multiple language barriers this spring.

Every day when players enter the clubhouse, a small blackboard displays the "Word of the Day" in English, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. Taiwanese pitcher Kai-Wei Teng, acquired via trade from the San Francisco Giants, speaks Chinese. These words are selected daily by team travel coordinator Juan Vitron.

"The goal is to be able to string the words into sentences by the end of spring training," Espada said. "The players really appreciate the effort we're making."

On the first day of spring training, the "Word of the Day" was "baseball" — "beisbol" in Spanish, "yakyuu" in Japanese, and "bangqiu" in Chinese. Words like "hello," "food," and "friend" also appeared on the board, complete with pronunciation guides.

"I definitely learned that 'Good morning' in Japanese is 'ohayo,' which sounds like my hometown Ohio," Blubaugh said. "So I remembered that word. Obviously, 'konnichiwa' means 'hello.' We're making progress. I'm trying to piece together some words and phrases; some pronunciations still need practice, but we'll get there."

Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti said he enjoys learning about Imai through his translator Ryo Takagi and has been trying to pick up as much Japanese as possible.

"I keep asking him about Japanese culture, their spring training methods, and a little about his slider," he said. "He's clearly a very hardworking person, highly skilled, meticulous about his routine, and knows what works for him. I always think that's cool to see in a player. I occasionally ask his translator questions and get responses from Imai. It's really cool."

The 27-year-old Imai has been a three-time All-Star in Japan's professional baseball league, including in 2024 and 2025. Over the past few years, he has developed into a top ace in Japan. He is the fourth Japanese player to wear an Astros uniform and the first since Yusei Kikuchi played in Houston during the last two months of the 2024 season. Imai has also started learning some English vocabulary.

"I can only learn a little bit each day, slowly building up simple words," he said through translator Takagi. "Just like Yusei Kikuchi, who now can hold conversations, I am at that stage now."

This season, whenever Espada or a coach or trainer steps onto the mound, the translators for Imai and Teng accompany them to ensure smooth communication during games. But spring training is more about teammates getting to know each other better—and vice versa.

"Clearly, he’s a smart baseball mind, which shows in how he pitches and carries himself," Blubaugh said of Imai. "So I feel like I can learn anything from him. The more I get to know him and can say hi now and then, the more we can learn from each other."