“I was offered a Japanese team, but I continued to challenge the major leagues.”

Shohei Ohtani, who shook up the major leagues with his pitcher-hitter “idoryu,” is expected to become the first free agent in the history of the four major American professional sports to sign a contract worth more than $500 million. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the “super ace” of the Orix Buffaloes, who is on the verge of breaking into the major leagues, is expected to receive a total of more than $200 million in six or seven years. That would surpass the previous Japanese record of $155 million over seven years signed by Masahiro Tanaka with the New York Yankees in 2014.

Yokohama BayStars left-hander Shota Imanaga, 30, and Rakuten Eagles closer Yuki Matsui, 28, are also on the radar of major league clubs.

Imanaga has a five-year, $85 million projection. That’s more than Senga Godai got last winter. Senga, who signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the New York Mets, 카지노사이트 pitched a team-high 162 innings in his first year and went 12-7. With a 2.89 ERA and 202 strikeouts, he raised the profile of Japanese pitching. Masataka Yoshida, 30, signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Boston Red Sox last offseason. He has been the center fielder since his rookie season.

Not all players are at the top of their game. It’s a different story for Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, who has been trying to make it to the major leagues from the minors.

Tsutsugo will be playing baseball in the United States next year.

Instead of returning to Japan, he’s looking to make the jump from the minors to the majors. His agent, Joel Wolfe, said, “Tsutsugo received offers from Japanese clubs, but he decided to stay in the United States.” .

Tsutsugo started this year’s season in the minor leagues with the Texas Rangers. In 51 games at Triple-A, he batted 2-for-49 with six home runs and 33 RBIs. After failing to earn a promotion to the major leagues, he left the team in June. There were offers from Japanese clubs at the time, but he stayed in the United States.

After playing in the independent leagues, he signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants in August. In 13 games at Double-A San Francisco, he went 3-for-1 with a double, four home runs, and 10 RBIs. He was promoted to Triple-A in September and appeared in four games, but did not make it to the majors.

Tsutsugo’s agent said he is confident he will attend a major league camp as an invitee next spring.

Tsutsugo, a center fielder for Yokohama, signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the 2020 season. In 2020, a season shortened by the coronavirus, Tsutsugo batted .197 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 51 games. He struggled early in the 2021 season and was released. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates, but was unable to establish himself. In 182 major league games between 2020 and 2022, he batted 1.097 with 18 home runs and 75 RBIs.

Tsutsugo hit 44 homers and 110 RBIs in 2016 with Yokohama. He led the Central League in home runs and RBIs that year. He hit over 20 home runs in six straight years from 2014 to 2019.