Right-hander Shintaro Fujinami will join the Oakland Athletics in MLB for the 2023 season after an up-and-down career with the Hanshin Tigers.
Fujinami, 28, signed a one-year deal with the A's, according to a report by ESPN on Wednesday. Fujinami, a three-time All-Star in NPB, was posted by the Tigers in December.
The hard-throwing 197-cm hurler has a fastball that has reached 162 kph (101 mph). He has bounced between the Tigers and the club's farm system throughout his career.
Oakland had a combined 4.69 ERA from its starting pitchers last season, fifth-worst in MLB and second-worst in the AL. The club was middle of the pack with 850⅓ innings from their starters. Fujinami is reportedly being targeted for the A's rotation.
Fujinami, who was selected in the same 2012 draft class as Shohei Ohtani, is 57-54 with a 3.41 ERA and 1,011 strikeouts with Hanshin over 189 appearances. After recent inconsistencies, he delivered a 3.38 ERA in 16 appearances (10 starts) for the Tigers' top club in 2022.