Tomoyuki Sugano, who was on the radar of both the Mets and Yankees this season, reached a $ 40 million deal for four years to return to the Yomiuri Giants, a Japanese baseball team, according to The Athletic.
As previously reported, the deal includes three opt-outs, meaning the right-hander can re-enter the MLB free agent market next off-season. The Yomiuri Giants’ one-year salary is expected to be within the $ 8 million range, according to the website.
Sugano (31) went 14-20 with a 1.97 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 137 overs in 2020. Sawamura Award for Best Pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Joel Sherman of The Post confirmed a few days ago that the Mets are no longer looking for Sugano. He is also linked with the Giants, Blue Jays and Red Sox.
The Yankees, who face many questions regarding their starting rotation, have had mixed results with Japanese pitchers over the past two decades. Masahiro Tanaka, a free agent, was the most successful for the Yankees, and Hiroki Kuroda had a solid time in The Bronx. But Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa were expensive busts.