Baltimore Orioles New Pitcher Previews His Stuff in Bullpen Session Video
![Baltimore Orioles hat and glove sits in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in 2024. Baltimore Orioles hat and glove sits in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in 2024.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7337,h_4127,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/fastball/01jjsx12ssdgkjbarysf.jpg)
Earlier this offseason, the Baltimore Orioles signed Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to a one-year deal. Sugano figures to pair with Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin and Charlie Morton in the starting rotation, while Dean Kremer and others battle for the No. 5 spot.
The 35-year-old Sugano comes to the United States after spending 12 seasons in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants.
Lifetime, he holds a 136-85 record, complete with a sterling 2.45 ERA.
Sugano gave us a little look at his stuff this week, thanks to a bullpen session that was posted on social media.
Per the @MLB account on "X:"
New #Orioles pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano is getting ready for the start of his first MLB season
New @Orioles pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano is getting ready for the start of his first MLB season 😤
— MLB (@MLB) January 29, 2025
(📹: @sugatomo18) pic.twitter.com/3aArsy25op
Sugano clearly isn't going full throttle there, but the delivery looks easy and natural, and the pitch was a strike. If you want a better indication of what Sugano's stuff looks like, take this video from the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Here’s Tomoyuki Sugano in 2017 striking out Adam Jones, Giancarlo Stanton, Nolan Arenado and other USA stars in the 2017 WBC
Here’s Tomoyuki Sugano in 2017 striking out Adam Jones, Giancarlo Stanton, Nolan Arenado and other USA stars in the 2017 WBC pic.twitter.com/HBz70RZFcu
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) December 17, 2024
Obviously, that video is eight years old at this point, and Sugano's velocity has diminished a bit, but he clearly shows no fear and a good command of the baseball.
After losing Corbin Burnes this offseason, the O's are going to need Sugano and Morton to step up to fill the void in the rotation. Baltimore is coming off a season that saw them finish second in the American League East and get swept in the wild card round of the playoffs.
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