The Yomiuri Giants said Thursday they have signed right-hander Jeremy Powell, who played for the Orix Buffaloes in 2005 and has a 57-47 record in the past five seasons in Japan, to a two-year contract.
The 29-year-old Powell opted to take 200 million yen in annual salary from Yomiuri after turning down a one-year deal that exceeded 300 million yen offered by Orix. Powell posted a team-high 14 wins against 12 losses with a 3.51 ERA for the Buffaloes this past season.
He led the Pacific League with 17 wins and 182 strikeouts with the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2002. "The acquisition of Powell is very encouraging. First and foremost, he can be a key rotation starter for us," Giants manager Tatsunori Hara said.