Angels Have Major Competition for Top Free Agent Target: Report

Maren Angus-Coombs | Dec 2, 2024

Mar 21, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Japan pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11) throws a pitch during the first inning against the United States during the 2017 World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Roki Sasaki isn't the only high-profile Japanese pitcher expected to make the leap to Major League Baseball this winter.

Fellow countryman Tomoyuki Sugano will finally come to North America after spending more than a decade in Nippon Professional Baseball, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan in early October.

At 35, Sugano may not have Sasaki's elite velocity, but as a two-time Sawamura Award winner — the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young — he is sure to attract considerable interest from teams.

MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi linked Sugano to the Los Angeles Angels in a recent report from the Premier12 Tournament.

"I've heard there is some interest there," Morosi said.

Morosi also mentioned the San Francisco Giants as a competitor in the Sugano sweepstakes.

The veteran right-hander, who turned 35 on Oct. 11, has had an exceptional 12-season career in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). During this time, Sugano has compiled an impressive 136-74 record with a 2.43 ERA and 1,585 strikeouts, establishing himself as one of Japan’s premier pitchers.

Sugano was posted by the Yomiuri Giants in 2020, with hopes of making the move to Major League Baseball. However, he did not reach an agreement with any MLB team by the end of the posting window. As a result, he returned to Japan to continue his career with the Giants, where he has spent his entire professional tenure.

When it comes to comparing Sugano to a familiar big league name, Morosi suggested former major league starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.

Kuroda, a Japanese right-hander who made the jump to the majors in his mid-30s. Kuroda enjoyed a successful seven-year career from 2008 to 2014, playing for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

Over his MLB tenure, Kuroda posted a solid 3.45 career ERA and averaged 188 innings per season.

The Angels are working with a very different budget compared to the Dodgers, Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. All five of those teams are in the running for Sasaki.

However, it hasn't stopped the Halos from being the busiest team this winter.

The Angels, desperate to improve their pitching staff, finished 28th in starter ERA last season with a 4.97 mark. Meanwhile, Sugano delivered an impressive 1.67 ERA over 156.2 innings for the Yomiuri Giants in 2024.

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