Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images A.J. Preller was looking for bullpen help and he has found some According to Jeff Passan, the San Diego Padres have signed Yuki Matsui to a five-year deal worth $28 million. And yes, there...
Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images
A.J. Preller was looking for bullpen help and he has found some
According to Jeff Passan, the San Diego Padres have signed Yuki Matsui to a five-year deal worth $28 million. And yes, there are options because A.J. Preller loves those contracts. $5.6 million per year isn’t bad for a guy who could be one of Mike Shildt’s high leverage relievers this coming season.
The agreement was reported earlier this week by Yahoo Japan but the years and total money was off.
Left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a five-year, $28 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Deal is done. It includes opt-outs after the third and fourth years as well as an injury clause that can convert the fifth year into a club option.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 23, 2023A move like this fits into San Diego’s plans, as it doesn’t seem like A.J. Preller will be spending more than $10 million on multiple players via free agency.
This obviously isn’t Shohei Ohtani but this could be another impactful Japanese player heading to the United States to be in Major League Baseball. Despite being 5’8’’, the 28-year-old posted a 1.57 ERA in 2023 and became the youngest in NPB history to reach 200 saves.
Matsui will join Robert Suarez, Enyel De Los Santos, Tom Cosgrove, Steven Wilson, Stephen Kolek (Rule 5), Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez in the bullpen for 2024. This is the type of move Preller and co. are known for making in the past.
It always seems like the Padres find a way to construct a solid back end of the bullpen regardless of if a Josh Hader type arm is exiting via free agency or not. For example, just a couple years back Suarez came over on a one year deal with a player option and he ended up being huge for San Diego in 2022.
Here’s what others have had to say about Matsui:
Yuki Matsui
28 years old
2023: 57.1 IP, 1.53 ERA, 26.6 K-BB%
92-94 mph 4S but with good ride
87 mph forkball
86 mph SL
Only 5’8”
Slow worker needs to adjust to pitch clock
Some risk but his track record in NPB is amazing. Can play matchups for late innings with Suarez. pic.twitter.com/utQd5Ymvvd
Japanese closer Yuki Matsui is exercising his international FA rights and looking to sign with an MLB team this offseason.
1.60 ERA, 11.3 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 this season. Youngest in NPB history to reach 200 saves (27, earliest this year).
92-94 fastball, plus slider and splitter. pic.twitter.com/SN3z0eD5HR