Proper-hander Shintaro Fujinami is planning to play within the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason as he seems to show his well being for golf equipment, he revealed in an interview with Japanese information outlet Sponichi. He hopes to proceed enjoying in america for the 2025 season.
Fujinami’s one-year, $3.35MM take care of the Mets for the 2024 season was derailed by accidents. The hard-throwing 30-year-old (31 in April) was anticipated to have a spot in New York’s bullpen however landed on the injured listing in spring coaching attributable to shoulder troubles and by no means wound up pitching within the majors. He pitched 4 scoreless rehab innings between Rookie ball, Class-A and Double-A however was hit arduous in 32 frames with the Mets’ Triple-A membership. In these 32 frames, he yielded a 6.68 ERA and walked simply over 22% of his opponents. Fujinami nonetheless sat at a hearty 97.3 mph along with his heater and fanned 25.7% of his opponents, however that velocity was down from the prior season and his command was a catastrophe even relative to his personal shaky requirements.
Many Mets followers raised an eyebrow on the time of the Fujinami signing. An enormous league deal for a reliever coming off a mixed 7.18 ERA in 79 innings between the A’s and Orioles in 2023 certainly regarded curious absent extra context. However that ghastly earned run common was skewed by a woeful run of 4 begins with the A’s to start his massive league profession. Fujinami pitched simply 15 innings in Oakland’s rotation however yielded 24 runs on 19 hits and 12 walks. He was dropped to the bullpen and, after a tough begin in that position as effectively, discovered his groove.
Over his remaining 51 1/3 innings of the 2023 marketing campaign, Fujinami posted a much more palatable 4.21 ERA. That’s nonetheless hardly an attention-grabbing mark, however that earned run common was accompanied by a 25.5% strikeout charge and 9.9% stroll charge — huge enhancements from his earlier work. He additionally averaged a blazing 99.2 mph on his heater throughout that stretch and paired that with a pointy 12.7% swinging-strike charge. Fujinami was exhibiting a capability to overlook bats each off the plate and within the zone and, at occasions, wanting flat-out dominant (as might be seen in GIF kind, courtesy of the indispensable Rob Friedman). A modest one-year deal for a then 29-year-old righty who was as soon as a prime choose and prospect alongside Shohei Ohtani in NPB appeared completely wise, significantly for a deep-pocketed membership just like the Mets.
This time round, a giant league deal appears much less possible (although not inconceivable, relying how he seems in Puerto Rico). He’ll be showcasing his well being in hopes of producing curiosity amongst massive league golf equipment. If he seems wholesome and regains some the roughly two miles per hour he misplaced off his heater within the wake of that shoulder damage with the Mets, he might land an invitation to spring coaching subsequent 12 months and compete for a job in a giant league bullpen. MLB golf equipment are continuously drawn to energy arms of this nature, so a non-guaranteed deal ought to be there if Fujinami is wholesome and reveals some semblance of improved command.
