Headlines

  • Blue Jays Sign Chad Green
  • Rays Extend Yandy Diaz
  • Dexter Fowler Announces Retirement
  • Mets Sign Jeff McNeil To Four-Year Extension
  • Red Sox, Marlins Swap Matt Barnes For Richard Bleier
  • Darren O’Day Announces Retirement
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Blue Jays Agree To Sign Tomo Ohka

By Zachary Links | December 11, 2013 at 9:45pm CDT

The Blue Jays have a verbal agreement in place with Tomo Ohka on a minor league deal, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet (via Twitter).  The Japanese pitcher, who last appeared in the big leagues in 2009, has reinvented himself as a knuckleball pitcher.

The 37-year-old may start at Double-A New Hampshire, according to Davidi.  Earlier this offseason, we heard that the Orioles were among the clubs with interest, but it appears that he'll be going to another AL East team.

Share 16 Retweet 147 Send via email0

Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Tomo Ohka

Braves Avoid Arbitration With Jordan Walden
Main
Minor Moves: Wilk, Martin, Hottovy
View Comments (33)

Comments

  1. citizen

    9 years ago

    great move. hasnt pitched in the majors since ’09. mark Mulder will now have hope.

    Reply
  2. FamousGrouse

    9 years ago

    So Tomo Ohka as knuckleballer. I wonder if he still has at least some kind of a slider/cutter he used to have? As a batter, that would totally fool your eyes. Best of luck to him and the Jays.

    Reply
  3. Dick__Whitman

    9 years ago

    May as well try him out. The knuckler worked for Dickey so hey, why not?

    Reply
  4. Danny Phillips

    9 years ago

    So that’s what they have been doing all offseason.

    Reply
  5. tim2nyy

    9 years ago

    There’s a blast from the past.

    Reply
  6. Bill Smith

    9 years ago

    OK, I’m convinced there is a fully functioning time machine in service right now…where are these guys coming back from?

    Reply
  7. Yhameen Hamid

    9 years ago

    Waiting for this sort of deal all off-season. About time we added another 37 year old minor league depth pitcher.

    Reply
  8. HerringGull

    9 years ago

    I’m back guys! And I brought knuckleball!

    Reply
  9. Tom

    9 years ago

    I haven’t pitched since high school, but with the pitching market the way it is, I think I could score a major league minimum deal with somebody.

    Reply
  10. fmradioguy

    9 years ago

    I do like the idea of Jimenez getting some experience catching a knuckleball down in the minors.

    Reply
    • Mike Babiak

      9 years ago

      makes sense

      Reply
  11. Mike Babiak

    9 years ago

    Its obviously a ploy to somehow get Tanaka

    Reply
    • thefridge99

      9 years ago

      Yes, because all Japanese people are friends with each other.

      Reply
      • letsgogiants

        9 years ago

        Correctomundo.

        Reply
  12. Lord of the Fries

    9 years ago

    Just to recap, we have Adam Kennedy trying to come back, Mark Mulder trying to come back, and a knuckleballing Tomo Ohka actually getting signed.

    Happy 2005 everybody ! The announcement of the Kaz Ishii and Kirk Reuter comebacks should be happening any minute now.

    Reply
    • letsgogiants

      9 years ago

      Just looked at Ishii’s career numbers: the guy has walked 354 guys in 564 innings. No wonder his major league career wasn’t long!

      Also, apparently Jamie Moyer is also trying to come back as a knuckleballer.

      Reply
      • Jaysfan724

        9 years ago

        You sure it’s a knuckleball? His fastball was already slow enough to be one.

        Reply
    • Jefftown37

      9 years ago

      And the Mariners should be signing Phil Nevin any day now. They could use a 1B/DH type.

      Reply
    • Jim Taylor

      9 years ago

      I’d like to see Chris Sabo attempt a comeback but only if he wore those lab goggles he had when he was with the Reds.

      Reply
  13. Jaysfan724

    9 years ago

    Not bashing this since it’s a minor league deal, but wow this one really came out of left field. Might as well sign Mark Mulder while you’re at it too.

    Reply
    • letsgogiants

      9 years ago

      It was reported a while back here that Ohka was going to attempt coming back as a knuckleballer. But I can see how one is startled at this if they missed that report.

      Reply
      • Jaysfan724

        9 years ago

        Yeah I have nothing against the signing, it just came out of nowhere, especially not knowing the whereabouts and status of Ohka’s career.

        Reply
  14. Bryan

    9 years ago

    John Thompson anyone?

    Reply
    • letsgogiants

      9 years ago

      I wonder what Eric Milton is up to these days…

      Reply
  15. $3513744

    9 years ago

    pfft. i called this a day ago.

    Reply
  16. Brandon E.M. Savage

    9 years ago

    “Look at me! I’m Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!”
    – Bart Simpson

    Reply
  17. Jefftown37

    9 years ago

    Who needs Tanaka?

    Reply
  18. letsgogiants

    9 years ago

    Jamie Moyer is grinning at this news.

    Reply
  19. faaaz

    9 years ago

    his stats in an independent league of Japan, as a knuckleballer
    21G 7-7 111IPs 108Hits 6HRs 25Ks 59BBs 3.73ERA 1.50WHIP

    Reply
    • Jefftown37

      9 years ago

      That’s not a lot of Ks and a lot of BBs.

      Reply
  20. Dawson Carlson

    9 years ago

    Where’s Jesse Litsch ?

    Reply
    • Al McCullough

      9 years ago

      Jenny Craig.

      Reply
    • iains

      9 years ago

      Recovering from yet another surgery.. latest is Thoracic outlet surgery.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Blue Jays Sign Chad Green

    Rays Extend Yandy Diaz

    Dexter Fowler Announces Retirement

    Mets Sign Jeff McNeil To Four-Year Extension

    Red Sox, Marlins Swap Matt Barnes For Richard Bleier

    Darren O’Day Announces Retirement

    Royals To Re-Sign Zack Greinke

    Braves Extend Manager Brian Snitker Through 2025

    Rays Sign Pete Fairbanks To Extension

    Royals Sign Aroldis Chapman To One-Year Deal

    Athletics Sign Jesús Aguilar

    Orioles Acquire Cole Irvin From A’s

    Astros Name Dana Brown General Manager

    Rays Extend Jeffrey Springs

    Royals, Red Sox Swap Adalberto Mondesi For Josh Taylor

    Red Sox Designate Matt Barnes For Assignment

    Scott Rolen Elected Into Baseball Hall Of Fame

    Red Sox Sign Adam Duvall

    Brad Ausmus Reportedly Among Astros’ GM Finalists

    Mike Clevinger Under Investigation For Domestic Violence Allegations

    Recent

    Mariners Win Arbitration Case Against Diego Castillo

    Mariners, Kyle Tyler Agree To Minor League Contract

    Dodgers Move Danny Lehmann To Bench Coach

    MLBTR Chat Transcript

    Reds Sign Jason Vosler To Minor League Deal

    Braves Sign Yolmer Sanchez To Minor League Deal

    Mets’ Khalil Lee Under Investigation Following Assault Allegations

    Read The Transcript Of Our Chat Hosted By Former MLB Outfielder Chad Hermansen

    Dodgers, Matt Andriese Agree To Minor League Deal

    The Opener: Orioles, MLB Events, Signings

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Offseason Outlook Series
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version