Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga joined the New York Mets on Monday, taking his place alongside idols Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the Major League Baseball club’s starting roster.
“It almost feels surreal,” Senga said through a translator at a news conference, showing off his new uniform after completing a five-year deal reportedly worth $75 million.
“I’m very happy and excited to be in the Big Apple,” Senga said in English. “Let’s go Mets.”
The 29-year-old right-hander won five Japan Series titles with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and helped Japan win gold at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Kodai,” Mets general manager Billy Eppler said. “We’ve scouted him from afar for a number of years and we knew when he hit free agency that we would want to make this day a reality.”
Mets manager Buck Showalter, this year’s National League Manager of the Year, and Eppler were among a host of Mets officials who met with Senga in November and convinced him New York was where he needed to play.
“The Mets really showed they wanted (me),” Senga said through a translator. “And also the opportunity to pitch with such great veteran pitchers,” calling World Series champion hurlers Scherzer and Verlander “legendary pitchers” known well in Japan.
He said he was excited to pitch for Mets fans, who last celebrated a World Series crown in 1986.
“I hope to live up to the highest of their expectations,” Senga said.
Senga had a 1.89 earned-run average with 159 strikeouts and 50 walks over 148 innings this year in Japan.
“As far as Kodai is concerned, he encompasses impact-level pitches and an impact-level arsenal,” Eppler said.
Senga has taken advice from countryman Yu Darvish, a former Japan League star who has pitched for MLB clubs since 2012 and will face Senga’s Mets in National League games as a member of the San Diego Padres.
“He has given a lot of good advice,” Senga said.
The Mets ended a five-season playoff drought in 2022, losing in the first round to San Diego. They haven’t won a playoff series since reaching the 2015 World Series, where they lost to Kansas City.
We pause to remember some of the outstanding pitchings we witnessed in 2022 as the MLB season of 2023 gets closer and closer. We can predict what the MLB pitching this season might look like by looking back on last year.
Looking at the top five starting lineups for the 2023 season around the league is what we’ll be doing today.
MLB’s most dangerous arms going into 2023
3. New York Yankees:
People occasionally overlook the Yankees pitching staff’s significant contribution to their 99-win season, despite the fact that their hitters are among the best in the league. The Yankees now appear to have a very strong pitching staff thanks to the purchase of Carlos Rodon.
With the San Francisco Giants last year, Rodon made 31 starts and had an ERA of 2.88. The southpaw was given a 6-year, $162 million deal by the Yankees. Gerrit Cole, who had a 3.29 ERA in 2022, will be Gerrit Cole’s backup. In the fourth year of a nine-year deal with the Yankees, Cole is eligible to receive a salary of $36 million.
2. Houston Astros
The Houston Astros seem to be in terrific shape when it comes to pitching, even without Justin Verlander. The team’s starters’ ERA was 2.95 last season, which was the lowest in the AL. The MLB World Series champions from 2022 may return in that direction.
In 2023, Framber Valdez will direct the rotation. Over 197 innings pitched, Valdez had a 3.20 earned run average. A career-low ERA of 2.54 was posted by Cristian Javier during his breakout season. In the MLB season of 2023, beware of the Astros’ pitching.
1. New York Mets
You can acquire talent if you invest money. With Justin Verlander’s contract, the New York Mets have surpassed their own Max Scherzer to hold the record for the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history, breaking a tie with him. Verlander is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.
In 2023, the two men will cause a $86 million salary loss. But if both stay healthy and are able to throw like they did when they were teammates with the Detroit Tigers in the early 2010s, the Mets might be on track to win 110 games. In order to add more talent to the rotation, the squad has also signed a multi-year contract with Japanese NPB player Kodai Senga.
When looking for talent to bolster their major baseball league squad, the St. Louis Cardinals have never been hesitant to travel to Korea and Japan.
Some notable players who joined the Cardinals from the Nippon Professional Baseball League or the Korean Baseball Organization include So Taguchi, Seung Hwan, Miles Mikolas, Aaron Brooks, Drew VerHagen, and Kwang Hyun Kim.
To sign Won-Bin Cho, a high school outfielder from Korea and the Cardinals’ 20th-ranked prospect, in January 2021, the team even reached into the high school ranks.
There are a number of international players who could have an impact on the Cardinals’ squad for the upcoming season when the offseason begins.
Here is a list of some potentially important players who have already declared their plan to play in the MLB in 2023 or have expressed a willingness to look into their alternatives.
The Softbank Hawks, who play in the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka, are led by the 29-year-old right-handed starter, one of their most accomplished athletes.
Senga, who was selected by the Hawks in the 2012 draught, has pitched in three all-star games, captured five Japan Series championships, and led the league in wins, strikeouts, and ERA on two occasions. He also helped Team Japan win a gold medal in the 2020 Olympics, and he’ll probably be a key player on their 2023 World Baseball Classic roster.
The list of suitable baseball players
Kodai Senga
Image of Kodai Senga from Wikipedia.
Senga would be able to sign with any club without being compelled to negotiate with the team that won the offer because he is eligible for international free agency and wouldn’t need to be posted. In order to be eligible for free agency when it starts, he has already submitted the required papers.
The pitch mix used by Senga, which includes a fastball that can reach speeds of 95–97 mph and is supplemented by a slider and a forkball, seems to adapt well to the major leagues.
Drew Rucinski
Image of Drew Rucinski, from Wikipedia.
After spending four mediocre seasons in the MLB from 2014 to 2018, Wisconsin native Rucinski, 34, left the country to play for the NC Dinos of the KBO. The righty has established himself as one of the Korean League’s most formidable pitchers, a strikeout king, and regained some calmness since joining the Dinos.
Rucinski has a league-high 657 strikeouts over the course of his four seasons while walking fewer than 4.1% of the time, compiling a 53-36 record and a 3.06 ERA. Prior to 2022, he inked a $2 million contract, the second-highest salary ever paid to an outsider in the league. He was instrumental in the Dinos 2020 KBO Championship, for which he received a fantastic sword, and he is now expected to return home with a salary.
Shintaro Fujinami
Image of Shintaro Fujinami, from Wikipedia.
One of the most intriguing baseball figures in Japan is Shintaro Fujinami, who is already scheduled to be posted. He was formerly regarded as a top pitching prospect, but since 2017, his stock has dropped. His pure stuff is some of the greatest in the world, and he is currently one of Japan’s more dependable bullpen pitchers.
Masataka Yoshida
Image of Masataka Yoshida, from Wikipedia.
Leading his Orix Buffalo to victory in the 2022 Japan Series, Yoshida distinguished himself with a huge walk-off home run in Game 5. The outfielder, who is 29 years old, has now stated categorically that he intends to move to the West and play in the MLB in 2019.
Eric Jokisch
Image of Eric Jokisch, from Wikipedia.
Eric Jokisch was one of the players who caught ESPN broadcasters’ attention when the KBO was the first league to resume play after the 2020 coronavirus epidemic postponed the 2020 baseball seasons internationally. The starter, a Northwestern alumnus who previously played for the Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, and Oakland A’s before moving abroad, has made 30 or more starts in each of his four seasons with the Kiwoom Warriors and has pitched to an ERA under three over his last three seasons.
Tomoyuki Sugano
Image of Tomoyuki Sugano, from Wikipedia.
Miles Mikolas’ former colleague Sugano played for the Yomiuri Giants, the most renowned team in Japan. Sugano is in the later stages of his career but has been as reliable as they come. The 33-year-old righty was posted following the 2021 season, despite not yet publicly declaring his desire to do so. He ultimately made the decision not to leave Yomiuri despite being chased by the Giants, Mets, and Blue Jays.
The Japanese pitching star Yoshinobu Yamamoto is making waves after an outstanding Nippon Professional Baseball League performance. Yamamoto is the handsomest free-agent starting pitcher available, and organizations are taking a serious interest in him now that the Orix Buffaloes have made it easier for him to pursue his Major League Baseball dreams.
A crucial update regarding Yamamoto’s plans was recently given by writer Mike Puma of the New York Mets. The ace pitcher is scheduled to travel to the US next week to meet with several MLB teams, including the Mets, according to a report from Puma. There’s a tangible buzz about Yamamoto joining the MLB.
Plans to court a highly sought-after starting pitcher are a fluttering in front offices, creating a flurry of speculation and excitement. It’s whispered that major league teams like the New York Yankees, LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Mets are prepared to make enticing offers to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
However, other strong starters on the market are expected to be the highlights of this offseason’s pitching extravaganza, including Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, Corbin Burnes, the current Cy Young winner Blake Snell, and others. Yamamoto is not the only arm that is in high demand.
Why should Yoshinobu Yamamoto be a high priority for the Mets?
Analyst Jerry Blevins gave the New York Mets a shocking recommendation during a recent SNY segment: he strongly believes that the organization should give signing Yamamoto great consideration and make every effort to obtain his services.
Blevins said; “But I think Blake might be too high of a cost and too long because he’s already older, Yamamoto is an outlier so they should approach it,” an article from sportskeeda.com mentioned.
Even though Blake Snell won the Cy Young, Blevins believes the Mets don’t have a long-term strategy for him. If Yamamoto isn’t available, he advises signing Jordan Montgomery, citing Montgomery’s World Series victory with the Texas Rangers, and thinks that Yamamoto, who is 25 years old, gives consistency.
Located in Queens, New York, the New York Mets play in Major League Baseball (MLB). The franchise was established in 1962, and together with the New York Yankees, they are one of two MLB organizations with local offices in New York City.
The Mets have won two World Series championships in franchise history—the first one in 1969 and the second in 1986. Additionally, they have won six NL East division championships and five National League (NL) pennants.
The Mets improved their roster in 2021 by making a number of critical changes. They signed seven additional players to their roster along with starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco, infielder Jonathan Villar, catcher James McCann, and outfielder Kevin Pillar. According to Baseball America, a prospect cannot have more than 130 MLB at-bats, 50 MLB innings pitched, or 30 MLB pitching appearances in order to be considered for the Top 100.
No 8: Francisco Alvarez
No 15: Brett Baty
No 21: Kodai Senga
No 46: Kevin Parada
No 80: Alex Ramirez
No 91: Jett Williams
No 99: Ronny Mauricio
By Baseball America’s subsequent ranking update, Alvarez, Baty, and Senga should all have graduated from the list. Alvarez has played in 62 career at-bats, Baty has played in 94 at-bats, and Senga has thrown 32.0 innings.
The Mets’ minor league prospects are currently off to a mixed start. Parada, who the Mets selected with the No. 11 overall pick in 2022, is slashing at an A+ level while advancing slowly.Two home runs, six runs batted in, and a slash line of 238.337.417. He has also walked 12 times and struck out 24 times in 84 at-bats.
Baseball fans went into a frenzy over Shohei Ohtani’s free agency, and now Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a Japanese star, is creating a similar flurry among teams looking to bolster their pitching staff in the offseason.
After his official posting earlier this year, the much-sought-after Japanese ace has established himself in a dominant position, keeping MLB teams at bay as they anxiously compete to capture his talents. Since his arrival, clubs have been lining up to sign him, sending shockwaves through the league and igniting a heated bidding war for his remarkable throwing abilities.
The excitement surrounding the expected transfer of a five-time NPB All-Star to Major League Baseball has sparked intense debates among pundits who are curious about the obstacles he may encounter in adjusting to a more competitive league with strong batters.
In the midst of all of this conjecture, Scott McGough, a reliever for the Arizona Diamondbacks who played for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and was personally familiar with the NPB, provided some commentary on his interactions with Yamamoto.
McGough’s viewpoint offers a singular window into the NPB’s competitive environment and illuminates the abilities and flexibility required to meet the difficulties of facing elite hitters in this new era of baseball.
The Yamamoto Effect
McGough shared; “He has multiple big league elite pitches. He has pitchability. This is guy is not big, like Ohtani is a big guy.
Yamamoto is not a big guy, but he is elastic, he can withstand a season. He has got great stuff, he is incredible.” an article from sportskeeda.com mentioned.
Reports on Sunday that a 25-year-old Japanese pitcher was dining at the residence of Mets owner Steve Cohen created a stir.
There are a lot of rumors that the pitcher might end up with the Mets, which has sparked a lot of conversation among baseball fans. Excitement has been generated by the meeting, suggesting that this gifted player in Major League Baseball may have another exciting move ahead of him.
It was an exciting development that put the New York Mets and the Yankees in the running for the desired Japanese pitcher. The negotiations took on an exciting new dimension when rumors emerged that both legendary New York teams were deep in talks with the gifted athlete.
Before this confirmation, rumors had it that the Boston Red Sox had made a $300,000,000 bid to sign the prestigious World Baseball Classic champion.
