KOBE – The Hanshin Tigers are set to acquire major league free agent Justin Bour for the 2020 season, Tigers general manager Osamu Tanimoto said Thursday.
Tanimoto said in an interview that the Central League team has reached a basic agreement with the 31-year-old Bour, who played first base for the Los Angeles Angels last season.
The powerful left-handed batter hit 92 home runs over six years in the majors, with a .253 batting average, 303 RBIs and 433 hits.
Hanshin is looking to beef up its lineup after finishing worst in runs scored last season among NPB teams.
Tanimoto said he expects Bour to provide “the strong batting power the team lacks.”
Bour started his career with the Miami Marlins in 2014 and had a brief stint with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 before landing in Los Angeles alongside Shohei Ohtani. He hit eight homers and drove in 26 runs in 52 games for the Angels last season.
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times