Oakland A’s agree to one-year contract with Shintaro Fujinami

The Oakland A’s continue to add to their rotation, agreeing to a one-year contract with Japanese pitcher Shintaro Fujinami.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports the A’s plan to use the 28-year-old pitcher in their rotation. Fujinami joins Oakland after 10 seasons with the Hanshin Tigers where he amassed a 57-54 record with a 3.41 ERA.

In the team’s press release announcing the signing, they note Fujinami “struck out 1,011 batters in 994.1 innings, an average of 9.15 per nine innings, but walked 459 for a mark of 4.15 per nine innings.”

藤浪晋太郎選手、アスレチックスにようこそ

We've agreed to terms with RHP Shintaro Fujinami on a one-year contract for the 2023 season. pic.twitter.com/TSuqHuJRBv

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) January 13, 2023

“Fujinami was 3-5 with a 3.38 ERA and .240 opponents batting average in 16 games, including 10 starts, for Hanshin in the Japanese Central League last season,” the team said in its press release. “He walked just 21 batters in 66.2 innings for an average of 2.8 walks per nine innings, which was the lowest mark of his career, and struck out 65 for a career best strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.10.

A’s general manager David Forst plans to introduce Shintaro Fujinami in a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

READ MORE FROM SACTOWN SPORTS:

• A’s reach two-year agreement with infielder Aledmys Díaz
• Jace Peterson, Athletics agree to a two-year contract
• Oakland A’s sign pitcher Trevor May to 1-year deal
• Oakland Athletics agree to 1-year contracts with Kemp, Blackburn and Laureano