Yuki Matsui, Eastern reliever, signs with Padres

The five-year deal is anticipated to be worth $28 million and contains decide-outs after 2026 and 2027, as effectively as an injury clause that can perhaps well convert the fifth year of the contract correct into a club option, a offer instructed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

Matsui posted a 2.40 ERA over 10 seasons in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. At some level of the past three seasons, as he shifted to a one-inning reduction role, he registered a 1.42 model with 214 strikeouts in 152 innings pitched, making him one amongst essentially the most dominant reduction pitchers in NPB.

“Clearly a huge note story of truly constant excellence,” talked about Padres general manager A.J. Preller. “This 9- or 10-year speed out of the bullpen, he’s been one amongst essentially the most productive closers within the game. … It’s three pitches — fastball, atomize up, slider. He’s been accurate very constant by getting outs, getting strikeouts.”

What are the Padres getting?
Matsui is indubitably odd, in every his stature and his arsenal. An undersized left-hander at accurate 5-foot-8 and 165 kilos, Matsui misses bats along with his plus splitter. He pairs it with a excessive-traipse fastball that sits between 92-94 mph and tops out at 96. Matsui also offers a slider as a third offering.

That combo helped Matsui strike out 32.4% of the batters he confronted final season. One level of recount, on the different hand, may per chance well presumably also very effectively be Matsui’s penchant for walks. Even along with his stable 5.9% hump charge in 2023, his occupation model is 10.9%. (For reference, the MLB-moderate hump charge this past season used to be 8.3%.)

Unruffled, Matsui has been as dominant as any Eastern reliever for a total lot of of the past decade. Leave out his age-18 debut season, which contained Matsui’s easiest 17 begins, and his occupation ERA drops to 2.10. The 28-year-old Matsui used to be a multi-inning reliever for almost all of his NPB occupation, nonetheless he has operated as a one-inning arm for the past three seasons.

The set aside does Matsui fit?
Tricky to claim at this level, pondering the Padres are almost absolutely destined to add more pitching. But he’s now not decrease than in line for a excessive-leverage role.

“Someplace at the reduction share of the game,” Preller talked about, when requested for Matsui’s fit. “We’ll gape how the ‘pen unfolds and what varied alternatives attain up this offseason. But he’s a man that can pitch any place late within the game … a man that’s shook fingers at the stay of video games as a nearer.”

When Josh Hader hit free agencyappropriate-hander Robert Suarez used to be the within favorite to contain the nearer vacancy. He and Matsui are now the two likeliest candidates for that job, with Preller noting there’s been “nothing promised.” Various late-inning alternatives consist of Tom Cosgrove and Steven Wilson.

Almost definitely most significantly, the Matsui addition balances the San Diego bullpen in a mammoth arrangement. With the departures of Hader, Tim Hill, Ray Kerr and Drew Pomeranz, Cosgrove used to be the finest unswerving left-handed option within the San Diego bullpen.

The set aside does the Padres’ bullpen stand?
Incomplete, peaceful. With the addition of Matsui, the Padres contain a foundation consisting of Suarez, Matsui, Cosgrove, Wilson and Enyel De Los Santos, who arrived from Cleveland within the Scott Barlow trade.

They’ve varied alternatives who may per chance well presumably compete for the closing 2-3 locations, including swing men Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez, arrivals within the Soto deal.

But bullpens are volatile. For the total success Cosgrove, Wilson and De Los Santos had final season, the Padres would be life like to continue including to their setup mix.

What’s subsequent?
Certain, the Padres may per chance well presumably exercise yet any other reliever (or two). However the addition of Matsui arguably shifts their pitching focal level reduction to the rotation.

On the total, on the different hand, their most obtrusive want remains within the outfield. With Soto and Trent Grisham off to Unusual York, Fernando Tatis Jr. is the lone returning starter. José Azocar is a favorite for a bench set aside, and No. 13 prospect Jacob Marseillethe Arizona Plunge League MVP, may per chance well presumably also compete for taking half in time.

However the Padres’ predominant goal this offseason must be buying an outfielder — ideally a lefty bopper who can atomize up their righty-heavy high half of the lineup.