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Baltimore Orioles Sign Veteran Japanese Pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano to 1-Year Deal

Tomoyuki Sugano, coming off 12 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, could be the Baltimore Orioles' short-term replacement for free agent Corbin Burnes.

Sam Connon

March 21, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Japan pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11) throws against USA in the first inning during the 2017 World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium.
March 21, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Japan pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11) throws against USA in the first inning during the 2017 World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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The Baltimore Orioles have signed right-handed Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, the team announced Monday night.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Sugano's contract is a one-year deal worth $13 million.

The longtime Yomiuri Giants ace made the decision to enter MLB free agency in October, four years after he first attempted to make it to the big leagues. Sugano's posting window expired before he could secure a deal, though, and he returned to Japan for 2021.

Because Sugano wound up spending 12 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, the eight-time All-Star was not subject to the posting system this time around.

Sugano went 136-75 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.035 WHIP and 1,596 strikeouts over the course of his NPB career. He ended 2024 with a 15-3 record, 1.67 ERA, 0.945 WHIP and 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings, winning his third Central League MVP Award in the process.

The Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants were among the other teams that were reportedly interested in Sugano.

Sugano is set to join Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer in the Orioles' rotation. That leaves swingman Albert Suárez, trade deadline acquisition Trevor Rogers and former top prospect Cade Povich in a competition for the fifth starter's spot, all while Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells recover from elbow surgery.

While Baltimore would surely love to welcome Corbin Burnes back from free agency, they appear to have enough arms to survive 2025 without him. Bringing Burnes back into the fold could cost upwards of $200 million, making Sugano a much cheaper alternative, even if he doesn't have a Cy Young Award on his shelf.

Sugano is the third Japanese player to head to Baltimore straight from NPB. Koji Uehara is the only one of those three to make an appearance in the big leagues for the Orioles, with Sugano obviously looking to join him on that exclusive list next spring.

There are still a few more Japanese pitchers left on the open market, namely 23-year-old ace Roki Sasaki. Shinnosuke Ogasawara and Koyo Aoyagi are out there as well.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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