The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan introduced yesterday that they’re bringing again righty Drew VerHagen on a one-year deal. The Vayner Sports activities shopper first joined the Fighters on a one-year contract with a 2025 participant possibility final winter. Whereas it appears he explored free agent prospects in lieu of the participant possibility, he elected to return to Hokkaido all the identical.
VerHagen divided the ’24 season between the Fighters and their minor league affiliate. He posted equally strong numbers at each stops. The 34-year-old tossed 49 innings of three.12 ERA ball at Japan’s high stage and managed a 3.06 mark throughout 47 minor league frames. He fanned a barely above-average 20.6% of NPB opponents in opposition to a 5% stroll charge.
That was VerHagen’s third season with the Fighters total. He pitched for the crew between 2020-21 and now carries a 3.44 earned run common in 256 2/3 NPB innings. Across the separate stints in Japan, he has appeared in elements of eight MLB campaigns. VerHagen labored as lengthy reliever for the Tigers between 2014-19. He returned to the majors in 2022 for a two-season run with the Cardinals. After posting a 6.65 ERA throughout his first 12 months in St. Louis, he rebounded with a 3.98 mark throughout a career-high 61 innings in 2023.
