Saturday at 5:00 p.m. ET is the deadline for the Japanese right-wing pitcherKohei Arihara, make up your mind after you were placed in the postal system on November 26th. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the The 28-year-old Japanese streamer has reached an agreement for two years and worth between US $ 6-7 million with the Rangers.
Texas had a combined 5.32 ERA among starting pitchers in 2020; seventh worst in the majors. The team exchanged its best pitcher, Lance Lynn, on December 8 against the White Sox.
The MLB postal system and Japan Professional League are giving 30 Major League teams 30 days to negotiate with the 28-year-old starter, who has spent his entire career in his country’s league, at the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
If Arihara decides to sign with a Major League team, that team will have to pay compensation to the Fighters. If he doesn’t reach an agreement, he will stay in Japan and won’t be able to enter the postal system until the next low season.
Arihara had a 3.46 ERA in 20 games with the Fighters in 2020, striking out 106 batters in 132.2 innings. He fueled 161 opponents in 164.1 innings in 2019, when he posted a 2.46 ERA in 24 games.
Arihara has lines of four and two seams in her repertoire, according to scout reports from Sports Info Solutions. They both hit the bottom of 90 mph, with their strikeout pitch being the splitter. Plus, it has the slider, change and curve, the latter being mainly used against lefts.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune and Japanese media, the Padres, Red Sox and Rangers would be the finalists for Arihara.
Sarah Langs / MLB.com