LOS ANGELES – Yokohama BayStars slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo has agreed to a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, according to a Friday report on MLB.com.
The deal, not yet announced by the American League club, will reportedly be worth around $12 million once finalized, and will also involve a 20 percent posting fee to the BayStars.
Tsutsugo, who just turned 28, is a left-handed-hitting outfielder who can also play corner infield positions. This past season, he had a .272 batting average with 126 hits, including 29 homers, and contributed 79 RBIs in 557 plate appearances.
Over the course of his 10 seasons in Japan, all with Yokohama, the slugger has batted .285 with 613 RBIs in 968 games.
He also appeared on the international stage as Japan’s cleanup hitter in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Source : Baseball – The Japan Times