Baltimore Orioles sign Japanese star pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano

The Baltimore Orioles have signed Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano to a one-year contract. Although the financial details of the contract have not been officially disclosed, it is speculated that the deal is valued at $13 million. Sugano looks back on an impressive twelve-year career with the Yomiuri Giants in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. In the past season, he achieved a record of 15 wins and 3 losses with an ERA of 1.67 in 24 games. He also recorded three complete games and one shutout, earning him the MVP award of the Central League. Throughout his career, Sugano has remarkable statistics: 136 wins, 74 losses, and an ERA of 2.43, along with 1,585 strikeouts and only 347 walks over 1,857 innings. The Orioles plan to integrate Sugano into their starting lineup to fill the gaps caused by injuries in their pitching rotation in 2024. Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish were sidelined due to elbow surgeries, while the future of Corbin Burnes in Baltimore remains uncertain due to free agency.