The Philadelphia Phillies have been linked to this outstanding pitcher as they seek another addition to their bullpen.
With spring training just a month away, the Philadelphia Phillies will be searching for the last touches on their roster to give them the best chance of competing in the World Series.
They already have a star-studded lineup, so they’ll most likely be shopping for bullpen pieces or combo players who can start games when called upon.
Opening Day roster forecasts are starting to emerge, and Ethan Witte of The Good Phight has revealed his.
Everything looks quite ordinary. After all, there were few changes this offseason, so things will basically remain the same.
However, one remarkable name jumped out.
He has the Phillies sign flamethrowing Japanese reliever Shintaro Fujinami to the squad to bolster the bullpen.
Fujinami is someone I’ve been considering as a one-year option this offseason because he battled immensely to find the strike zone last season. If anyone can make it work with the resources he has, it’s Caleb Cotham, so why not see what it would be like to bring him in?” he writes.
The right-hander has insane stuff, making him an excellent option for this unit and their velocity philosophy.
Fujinami struggled in his debut Major League season with the Oakland Athletics, earning an 8.57 ERA as a starter and reliever before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
He performed slightly better there, with an ERA of 4.85 just from the bullpen, but his first year in the MLB did not go as planned, depreciating his value.
That might benefit Philadelphia, which is looking to add talent at a discount.
Fujinami was thought to be searching for a starting position with his next team this winter, but he has come around to the notion of returning as a reliever.
The Phillies should surely look at the price he’s asking for and pursue him if it’s low enough.
