MLB rumors: Rangers lowball World Series hero, Rays take NPB low-risk play, more
- Rangers are an Andrew Knizner away from a raise for Adolis Garcia
- Rays take low-risk play on NBP star
- Yankees and Reds add pitching depth
MLB Rumors: Rays take NPB low-risk play
Nipon Pro Baseball players have been all the rage in free agency this year. New Dodger Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the most coveted name out there while Shota Imanaga drew plenty of attention as well before signing with the Cubs.
So you'd be forgiven for overlooking Naoyuki Uwasawa as a free-agent option. The Rays didn't though, signing the soon-to-be-30-year-old to a minor-league contract with a spring training invite.
Uwasawa was a three-time All-Star with Nippon Ham Fighters. Last year he managed a 2.96 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.
It's an intriguing signing for the Rays, who are willing to give Uwasawa a chance to answer questions about his ability to generate strikeouts at MLB level. According to a Japanese report, Uwasawa turned down major league contract offers because he believes in the Rays' ability to develop pitchers. That's as good an endorsement of TB's pitching program as you'll find.
If it works out, then great. The Rays will have added a pitcher with outstanding command and strong pitch mix for practically nothing. If not, then there's very little harm from whiffing on a minor-league contract.