Another Japanese star pitcher is coming to the US |
After last season's debate on whether Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Shota Imanaga was the better of the two Japanese arms, Imanaga was able to win round one. A big reason for that was the injury that Yamamoto suffered, but even then, no one will take away from the season that Imanaga had.
This offseason is expected to be another massive offseason for free agents, and it could be the year of the starting pitcher yet again. Guys like Corbin Burnes and Max Fried will highlight the list, but pay attention to the Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who is expected to post later this winter. Even if Sasaki is arguably the biggest name to come out of Japan since Shohei Otani, he won't be the only Japanese arm that teams are going to covet as Tomoyuki Sugano has completed his NPB contract overseas and will now heading to the US as a free agent this season. Unlike some of the other Japanese arms that have come stateside in recent seasons, Sugano isn't as highly coveted as most, but when you dive deeper into his stats, you can see why teams are looking into his services. Ignore his age for a minute here, as he is 35 years old. Japanese pitchers tend to pitch longer than US-born pitchers because they don't use the same scheduling as the MLB. Most Japanese arms pitch once a week as opposed to twice, and that does help them last much longer than you would expect. Even if he is on the wrong side of 30, Sugano is coming off another great season. He made 24 starts with the Yomiuri Giants and went on to post a microscopic 1.67 ERA in those starts. He did that while posting a 15-3 record across 156 innings, walking 16 and striking out 111. The Strikeouts numbers don't scream elite, but he is a command specialist who doesn't walk many and does a great job of limiting hard contact. Sugano has had a decorated career during his 12 seasons overseas. He has won the Japanese Cy Young (Sawamura Award) twice, the Central League MVP award twice, and the ERA leader four times. That long run of success has put him back on the NPB map as one of the best pitchers in the league and paved his path to the majors. This isn't the first time Sugano has tried to come to the States, as it was long expected that he would post in 2020. However, failing to reach a deal, he returned to Tokyo, where he has been ever since. Looking at his repertoire and what he brings to the table, you will notice a lot of similarities between him and other Japanese starters. Like most NPB pitchers, Sugano isn't going to blow you away as he averages 92 MPH with his fastball, but can touch 94 if needed. He also adds a 90 MPH two-seamer to go with that four-seamer and an 87 MPH cutter. Throw in an 86 MPH splitter that is becoming more of an out pitch, an 82 MPH slider, and a 77 MPH curve, and Sugano has a diverse six-pitch mix that he can use at any point in the count. Not only does having six pitches in your pocket keep hitters on their toes, but you will have tons of success if you can use all six equally well. That is precisely what Sugano has done, as he uses all six pitches almost equally, and that has baffled hitters in the NPB in the past few seasons. His 1.67 ERA this season was second in the league and only behind 22-year-old Takahashi Chunichi, who is expected to post sometime in 2026 or 2027. Sugano has spent a dozen years with the Giants, going 136-75 and posting a 2.45 ERA during that time. Some may ask what this has to do with the Cubs. Well, the answer is simple. It all comes down to money, and if the Cubs are going to add to their starting rotation, money is the issue. For whatever reason, the Cubs continue acting like they are a small market team, which doesn't sit well with the fans. Adding a guy like Burnes or Fried will cost 30-plus million per year, and you will be tied up for the next five or six years. Given that the Cubs have so many young arms they are counting on down the road, they may not want to give a long deal to a starting pitcher, which is where Sugano comes into play. Sure, his age is a concern, but for a two-year deal at roughly 10-12 million per year, it is something the Cubs can take on. At worst, he would still be better than what Kyle Hendricks showed this season, and that instantly makes their rotation better. Given their track record with Japanese-born players, Sugano is a name to watch for the Cubs this offseason.
