Toronto Blue Jays Reportedly Evaluating Japanese Free Agent Shinnosuke Ogasawara

Shinnosuke Ogasawara hasn't been officially posted to MLB free agency just yet, but the Toronto Blue Jays are one of five teams reportedly looking into adding the Japanese pitcher.

Jul 26, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Toronto Blue Jays hat and glove outside of the dugout during a game against the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays are one of five teams reportedly interested in Chunichi Dragons pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara, Tochu Sports reported Monday.

The Japanese outlet also listed the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs as teams that are evaluating Ogasawara. The left-hander has yet to be officially posted to MLB free agency, but the Dragons approved his request back in October.

The 27-year-old southpaw was named a Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star for the first time in 2023. He has spent his entire nine-year pro career with Chunichi.

Ogasawara is set to become the first player the Dragons have posted since Akinori Otsuka, who signed with the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2004 campaign and spent four seasons in the majors. Otsuka was Ogasawara's pitching coach on the Dragons over the past few years.

For his career, Ogasawara is 54-72 with a 3.67 ERA, 1.291 WHIP and 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Over the past three seasons, though, he is 22-31 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.177 WHIP.

Ogasawara is a 5-foot-11, 183-pound lefty, giving him a very similar physical profile to Shota Imanaga, who inked a four-year, $53 million contract with the Cubs last offseason. Imanaga – who is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound lefty – was three years older than Ogasawara when he hit MLB free agency, but he did have more impressive NPB and international resumes.

Ogasawara won't be the only Japanese pitcher to hit MLB free agency, considering 35-year-old veteran Tomoyuki Sugano is reportedly leaving NPB as well. The Chiba Lotte Marines could let 22-year-old ace Roki Sasaki walk, too, although he would be designated as an international amateur free agent.

The two biggest Japanese free agents from last winter – Imanaga and Los Angeles Dodgers righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto – both impressed as MLB rookies in 2024. Imanaga went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.021 WHIP and 3.1 WAR, while Yamamoto went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA, 1.111 WHIP and 1.7 WAR and won a World Series ring.

International players over the age of 25 who have played nine or fewer professional seasons are subject to the posting system, and Ogasawara fits that criteria. Once the MLB league office notifies all 30 teams that Ogasawara has been posted, he and his representatives – super agency WME – will have 45 days to negotiate a contract with big league clubs.

The Dragons would then receive a cut of whatever deal Ogasawara gets from an MLB team. Chunichi will earn a release fee of 20% of Ogasawara's contract if it less than $25 million, $5 million plus 17.5% of the amount over $25 million if it is between $25 million and $50 million, or $9.275 million plus 15% of the amount over $50 million if it exceeds that figure.

If Ogasawara cannot land a deal before his window closes, he will return to Chunichi for 2025.

Toronto has had five Japanese pitchers take the mound in franchise history, most recently Yusei Kikuchi. The Blue Jays traded the veteran lefty to the Houston Astros this summer, however.

The rest of Toronto's starting rotation is intact heading into 2025, featuring Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Bowden Francis, Chris Bassitt and Yariel Rodríguez. Former All-Star Alek Manoah and top prospect Ricky Tiedemann are under contract as well, although both are recovering from elbow surgeries they underwent this summer.

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