Another potential rotation option for teams seeking starting pitching help – including the Yankees – will soon become available on the international market.
The Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan are expected to post right-handed pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano as early as this week, according to MLB.com.
The 31-year-old righty went 14-2 with a 1.97 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 137 innings in 2020. In eight seasons in the NPB, Sugano has posted a 2.34 ERA, and twice has won the Sawamura Award as the best pitcher in NPB.
The Yankees, who are looking to fill three rotation spots for 2021, have had mixed success with Japanese pitchers over the past two decades.