Fuji signs with the Mets

[Going Underground]

The Mets have agreed to a deal with free-agent righty Shintaro Fujinami, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He’ll earn at a $3.35MM rate in the majors on the one-year pact and can unlock an additional $850K worth of incentives. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the contract does not contain any language preventing Fujinami from being optioned to the minors. Fujinami is represented by the Boras Corporation.

[Bemorewins]

Awesome news! That means he won't be with the O's.

[RZNJ]

A guarantee over 3M.  I’m a little surprised he scored a ML contract  at all.  Amazing stuff but inconsistent as all hell and NY is not the place for pitchers who look like they’re barely keeping it together on the mound.

If I’m an NL East hitter I’m investing in body armor and a helmet with a face guard.  

[Say O!]

Good for him to land MLB opportunity — Rooting for Fuji.

Edited February 2 by Say O!

[btdart20]

3 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

A guarantee over 3M.  I’m a little surprised he scored a ML contract  at all.  Amazing stuff but inconsistent as all hell and NY is not the place for pitchers who look like they’re barely keeping it together on the mound.

If I’m an NL East hitter I’m investing in body armor and a helmet with a face guard.  

No truer words...  

[JimGinSP]

What is really crazy is that Fuji will cost $7.035M to the Mets since they are in luxury tax territory!   That’s crazy.   Are there no Spenser Watkins, Thomas Eshelman or Caesar Valdez types available to them?

 

 

[Morgan423]

Guess this ends the super-tiny sliver of a chance that he was the option we were considering for replacement bullpen power arm next season. 

I know it was like a 1% chance, but part of me is glad that it's now zero.  Best of luck to him.

Edited February 2 by Morgan423

[interloper]

I like Fuji and wish him the best. The Mets are a weird team this year. They also have Jorge Lopez and DJ Stewart is their main DH. 

3.94 ERA not counting his rough start, so that's a middle reliever with upside due to the arm. Most likely scenario is he gives you an ERA around 4. Best case is he finally pops and you get a setup guy. 

[scarey1999]

2 hours ago, JimGinSP said:

What is really crazy is that Fuji will cost $7.035M to the Mets since they are in luxury tax territory!   That’s crazy.   Are there no Spenser Watkins, Thomas Eshelman or Caesar Valdez types available to them?

 

 

None of them can throw 103mph. Not defending the signing…they’re certainly taking a risk for the ROI potential. 

[BRobinsonfan]

Fuji we hardly knew ye. I wish him well but I'm glad he's gone. He was hard to watch for me. His delivery always looked like he was precariously balanced on one leg and could topple over at any time… and it wasn't that you didn't know which Fuji you were going to see from outing to outing… you didn't know which one you were going to get from batter to batter. 

[Gurgi]

Kind of got worried when he admitted to being nervous before his first pitching with the Orioles.  Maybe the Japanese culture just blurts this stuff out but the American culture is to lie about it and say "nah just another game".   

Cant say he had nerves of steel.  He didnt.  But that 103 was amazing to see.  Then he would melt down the next time out and walk the bases loaded hardly throwing a ball near the plate.  Odd. 

[Uli2001]

One less thing to worry about in 2024.

[Just Regular]

3 hours ago, JimGinSP said:

What is really crazy is that Fuji will cost $7.035M to the Mets since they are in luxury tax territory!   That’s crazy.   Are there no Spenser Watkins, Thomas Eshelman or Caesar Valdez types available to them?

 

 

We could buy-side trade for Pete Alonso and/or Edwin Diaz to help them out.     Stearns could probably be persuaded to let go of miscellaneous possessions ala Mike Elias' DL Hall.

[Tony-OH]

[byrdz]

This inning was fun to watch but way too many HBP's and some of them were downright scary.