Tomoyuki Sugano Joins the Baltimore Orioles on a 1-Year Contract

After a banner 12-year career with the Yomiuri Giants, pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, now 35, achieved his goal of signing a contract with an MLB team.

Eight-time NPB All-Star Tomoyuki Sugano, who pitched for Yomiuri Giants from 2013 to 2024, has finalized a one-year deal with MLB’s Baltimore Orioles.

The Orioles made the announcementon Monday, December 16, and the free agent right-hander will receive a $13 million USD (¥2 billion JPY) salary in 2025.

Sugano, 35, will become the third Japanese pitcher to join the Orioles, following Koji Uehara (2009-11) and Shintaro Fujinami (2023). The Orioles are coming off a 91-71 season and finished second behind the American League East Division champion New York Yankees (94-68).

In 2024, Sugano won his third Central League MVP Award with an outstanding 15-3 win-loss record and a 1.67 ERA. He had 111 strikeouts and 16 walks in 156⅔ innings.

Tomoyuki Sugano: A Model of Consistency

During his dozen seasons in a Giants uniform, Sugano had nine double-digit win seasons, including a 13-6 record as a rookie.

He owns a career record of 136-74 with a 2.43 ERA in NPB, pitching 1,857 innings and fanning 1,585 batters. Sugano’s pinpoint control was on display throughout his long tenure with the Giants as he only issued 347 walks.

Sugano led the Central League in wins in 2017 (17-5), 2018 (15-8) and 2020 (14-2). He was No 1 in strikeouts in the CL in 2016 (189) and 2018 (200). And he captured four CL ERA titles ― in 2014 (2.33), 2016 (2.01), 2017 (1.59) and 2018 (2.14).