Headlines

  • Royals, Hunter Dozier Agree To Four-Year Extension
  • Giants, Scott Kazmir Agree To Minor League Deal
  • Kelvin Herrera Announces Retirement
  • Braves Extend Brian Snitker
  • Yankees Sign Justin Wilson
  • Braves Sign Jake Lamb
  • 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 Indians
      • 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
    • 2020-21 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2021
    • 2021 MLB Arbitration Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • Last 100 Comments
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Japanese Shortstop Takashi Toritani Hires Scott Boras

By Steve Adams | November 13, 2014 at 7:30pm CDT

Japanese shortstop Takashi Toritani has hired Scott Boras as his agent, and Boras will spend the next month or so gauging Major League interest in his new 33-year-old client, writes MLB.com’s Phil Rogers. Toritani is not yet committed to jumping from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported earlier this month that he was expected to make the move.

Toritani, who has spent his entire career with the Hanshin Tigers, is a lifetime .285/.372/.412 hitter that comes with a solid defensive reputation. He’s been incredibly durable, with Boras referring to his client as the “kind of the Cal Ripken of Japan.” While Toritani’s offense isn’t likely to be on par with that of the Baltimore iron man, Boras points out that Toritani has not missed a single game in the past 10 seasons — a highly impressive feat. Even more impressive, however, is that Toritani has not missed so much as an inning at shortstop in that stretch — an incredible span of 1,444 games. (Not surprisingly, Toritani is the NPB record holder for consecutive games played.)

According to Boras, Toritani would be eligible to sign with a Major League club after November 30, but he doesn’t have much interest in coming to the Majors as a part-time player. Toritani is looking for a chance to be a regular player. Given the thin market for middle infielders and the possibility that Toritani could likely slide over to second base if needed, it’s certainly possible that a big league team would look at him as a potential everyday option. Hanley Ramirez, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jed Lowrie and Stephen Drew are the biggest names up the middle, though Ramirez may sign as a third baseman. On the international front, Cuban defectors Jose Fernandez and Hector Olivera may be able to step directly into a big league lineup at second base, but it’s not clear when either will be cleared for free agency by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control and MLB.

Those who watched the 2013 World Baseball Classic may recall Toritani, who played for Japan in that tournament, going 4-for-15 with a single, double, triple and a home run (video link).

Share 10 Retweet 40 Send via email2

Newsstand Takashi Toritani

Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw Win MVP Awards
Main
Free Agent Notes: Sandoval, Miller, Martin, Gomes, Carter
15 comments
newest oldest

Comments

  1. inprellerwetrust

    6 years ago

    The Padres could certainly look at him to replace the question mark that is Cabrera. He wouldn’t block Treat Turner either

    Like
    Reply
  2. BG921

    6 years ago

    Before the news of Boras representing him, I wanted the Braves to give him a look… I’m thinking now he’ll be priced out of their range and he wouldn’t want to play 2B or 3B. Ah, if only Chris Johnson wasn’t given that bogus extension….

    Like
    Reply
  3. Patrick Newman

    6 years ago

    “Not surprisingly, Toritani is the NPB record holder for consecutive games played.”

    No he isn’t: baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sachio_Kinugasa

    Like
    Reply
    • Tanuki Tanaka

      6 years ago

      JP wiki mentions that some other gent other than Kinugasa is in front of Toritani too, since Toritani’s only third all time.

      Like
      Reply
      • Patrick Newman

        6 years ago

        Tomoaki Kanemoto is 2nd. He also holds the “full innings” consecutive game streak.

        Like
        Reply
        • johnbrooks

          6 years ago

          Remember when Kanemoto broke Ripken’s consecutive inning streak. Also you think Boras do his homework regarding the consecutive streak.

          Like
          Reply
    • John Cate

      6 years ago

      I knew that had to be wrong. People were already talking about Sachio Kinugasa when Ripken was chasing Gehrig’s MLB record, and he passed Kinugasa the next season with the man actually attending the game.

      Like
      Reply
  4. Tom Schneider

    6 years ago

    Seems like a good fit for the Mets. Good defense and an ability to get on base.

    Like
    Reply
    • DerekJeterDan

      6 years ago

      Except the Mets and Boras dislike each other.

      Like
      Reply
      • Tom Schneider

        6 years ago

        They seem to be doing just fine with handling Matt Harvey and his innings cap for 2015. I do not think they dislike each other despite all these weird space and supermarket analogies.

        Like
        Reply
    • paqza

      6 years ago

      The Mets have Murphy, Flores, Herrera, and Reynolds at 2B and it’s unlikely this guy hits enough to start. I really don’t see him as much of an SS.

      Like
      Reply
  5. Vandals Took The Handles

    6 years ago

    I’ve never had the good fortune to watch Mr. Toritani play. But having seen Mr. Boras American clients play over the years – all of whom he believed should have been headed into the Boras Wing in Cooperstown – I’m not putting Mr. Toritani on my early short list for Gold Glove SS candidates in 2015.

    Make no mistake – I like Mr. Boras a lot. He truly is brilliant at what he does. Truly a living legend. I wish I could have hired him to represent me in my profession.

    Like
    Reply
    • Steve Adams

      6 years ago

      If it makes you feel any better, the stuff about his defensive reputation was more just from reports I’ve read on him online, before he even hired Boras. I think the perception is that he’s a better defender than hitter, though I admittedly don’t know a ton about the guy aside from the fact that he is apparently indestructible and heals at a Wolverine-like rate.

      Like
      Reply
  6. Tanuki Tanaka

    6 years ago

    Off the Japanese wikipedia:
    Style: 2013 lowest ball-strike rate
    (no idea what that means). Selective eye, led in OBP in 2011, achieved a
    team record of 104 BB during 2013.
    Some opposite field for power.
    2009’s 20 hrs included 3 to LF and 1 to CF. 2010, out of 19 hrs, 7 to
    LF 3 to CF. Plays worse against lefties, have some kind of “drop ball”
    trouble.

    An average of 4.17s to 1B. Low steal success rate, but
    something about somewhat aggressive stealer. Ran 100M in 12 s. Strong
    armed enough to man 2nd and 3rd during WBC. Something about high “range
    factor”. Some high UZR numbers.

    Misc: Eldest of three brothers.
    Pitched in HS at 143 KM/H. Something about about visiting children’s
    ward at Osaka University hospital in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

    Seems like an interesting guy that most teams should take a look at.

    Like
    Reply
  7. Jeff Wong

    6 years ago

    I’m guessing Toritani actually went 4-for-5 at the ’13 WBC. :-D

    Curious to see how he does in the MLB.

    Like
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Royals, Hunter Dozier Agree To Four-Year Extension

    Giants, Scott Kazmir Agree To Minor League Deal

    Kelvin Herrera Announces Retirement

    Braves Extend Brian Snitker

    Yankees Sign Justin Wilson

    Braves Sign Jake Lamb

    Athletics Sign Mitch Moreland

    Yankees Re-Sign Brett Gardner

    Giants To Sign Jake McGee

    Mariners CEO Kevin Mather Resigns

    Recent

    Minor MLB Transactions: 2/28/21

    Cubs Designate Robert Stock For Assignment

    COVID Notes: Abreu, Montas, Happ, Cordero

    Royals, Hunter Dozier Agree To Four-Year Extension

    Quick Hits: Pujols, Blue Jays, Kennedy, Santana

    Royals, Hunter Dozier In “Serious” Extension Negotiations

    Minor MLB Transactions: 2/27/21

    MLBTR Chat Transcript

    Astros Claim Robel Garcia

    Red Sox Acquire Zach Bryant From Cubs

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Kris Bryant Rumors
    • Jackie Bradley Jr. Rumors
    • Jake Odorizzi Rumors
    • Taijuan Walker Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • 2020-21 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2021
    • 2021 MLB Arbitration Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • 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
    • Indians 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