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Eric Thames To Sign With NPB’s Yomiuri Giants

By Steve Adams | December 30, 2020 at 12:02pm CDT

Slugger Eric Thames is in agreement on a one-year deal with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, as first reported by Sports Hochi. Reports out of Japan have pegged the one-year contract’s value in the vicinity of $1.2MM, though the precise number remains unclear. Thames is repped by Apex Baseball.

Thames becomes the second former Brewers first baseman to join the Giants in as many days, as Justin Smoak is also reported to be wrapping up a deal to join the Giants. That could mean that one or both will spend ample time at designated hitter, and Thames of course has plenty of experience playing the outfield corners as well.

The 2020 season was a tough one for Thames, who inked a one-year pact with the Nationals last winter. The 34-year-old had a productive three-year run with the Brewers (.241/.343/.504 with 72 homers and a 118 wRC+), but his lone season in D.C. resulted in a .203/.300/.317 batting line through 140 trips to the plate.

Thames is no stranger to playing overseas, having starred for the NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization from 2014-16 before returning to MLB with the Brewers in 2017. This will mark his first action in NPB, however. Depending on how the 2021 season plays out for Thames, he should again be an interesting free agent next winter. With a productive year for the Giants, it’s easy to see him drawing legitimate interest from all three of MLB, NPB and the KBO a year from now.

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44 comments
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Comments

  1. lordd99

    3 months ago

    Thames looking to play in every professional league before he retires.

    7 Like
    Reply
    • Hosmer for HOF

      3 months ago

      Thames goes to the same team as smoak but for about $5M less. I would fire his agent

      7 Like
      Reply
      • joedirte4life

        3 months ago

        No its just Justin Smoak has the greatest agent in recorded history to get him that deal.

        So apparently if any mlb players are reading this hire Dustin Bledsoe. He got Smoak a 6-7 million dollar deal. And if he can do that then think what he could do for Bauer or Springer or JTR.

        5 Like
        Reply
        • WereAllJustGuestsHere

          3 months ago

          Smoak also landed a nice contract he didn’t deserve in Milwaukee last year. Also squeezed more money than he should have in Toronto.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • Datashark

          3 months ago

          no one has a better agent than Chris Davis.

          3 Like
          Reply
        • goalieguy41

          3 months ago

          He made 4 mil a season in Toronto and other then his last year he was worth it

          2 Like
          Reply
        • LordShade

          3 months ago

          Scott Boras?

          Like
          Reply
      • jrhoades

        3 months ago

        Eric Thames aka “God”. That’s in contention for best nicknames ever

        4 Like
        Reply
    • FredMcGriff for the HOF

      3 months ago

      Eric has a awesome beard. Get that money!

      4 Like
      Reply
    • Ducky Buckin Fent

      3 months ago

      @Lord99 –
      There are certainly worse goals. Less lucrative one’s, as well. He’s made ~ 25 mil at this point to travel around the world & play ball.

      Good work if you can get it.

      2 Like
      Reply
      • Costanza1321

        3 months ago

        Well said. I torally agree. I think you and I would trade places to play baseball in Japan for 1 million.

        1 Like
        Reply
  2. Marty McRae

    3 months ago

    I love this move for him, and if he stays healthy and goes off it means he could be back in MLB by age 35.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • Marty McRae

      3 months ago

      Actually the only question I have here is: how did Smoak get so much more money than Thames?

      4 Like
      Reply
    • whiptydojoe

      3 months ago

      ha ha ha, okay buddy

      1 Like
      Reply
  3. stubby66

    3 months ago

    You know probably not a bad idea they have the virus over there under control better then here plus I believe they have crowds back. Best of luck Thames. was always surprised of how big that man is almost as big as Braun Strommen.

    2 Like
    Reply
    • jaysfansince1977

      3 months ago

      Thames is only 5’11” Braun Strommen is like 6’8″

      3 Like
      Reply
  4. joeyrocafella

    3 months ago

    Next season he’ll play with Manny Ramirez in Australia

    3 Like
    Reply
    • Tim_Buck-Two

      3 months ago

      Rodger Clemens will be there throwing 88 mph heat, Julio Franco and Bartolo Colon will also be there

      1 Like
      Reply
      • iains

        3 months ago

        Clemens at 88mph likely would still chew up the AA players.

        2 Like
        Reply
  5. beerncheese

    3 months ago

    Enjoyed watching him as a Brewer. I remember him having an epic power streak his first year. Good luck in Japan.

    3 Like
    Reply
    • brewcrewjazz

      3 months ago

      I was a big fan of him during his Brewers tenure. He’s not a superstar but serviceable 1B.

      3 Like
      Reply
    • jbeerj

      3 months ago

      Would love to see him come back to MIL in some capacity after he retires- he seemed to love it here. Didn’t he win the team’s “Best Craft Brew” contest?

      1 Like
      Reply
  6. julyn82001

    3 months ago

    1.2 million to play ball at 35? Not a bad salary, not bat at all…

    Like
    Reply
  7. DarkSide830

    3 months ago

    i know others have said it already, but it deems saying again…HOW ON EARTH DID SMOAK GET SO MUCH MORE?!?!

    4 Like
    Reply
    • tom brunanskys black sock

      3 months ago

      His agent is a fiery negotiator.

      Like
      Reply
    • jaysfansince1977

      3 months ago

      He can be slotted in as the full time 1st baseman, is better defensively than Thames and also has more pop and is a switch hitter, he is bigger and better looking too

      1 Like
      Reply
      • redsfan48

        3 months ago

        That last part sounds wildly racist.

        5 Like
        Reply
        • clrrogers

          3 months ago

          Calm down. He was joking. Stop looking to be offended.

          10 Like
          Reply
        • DTDATL

          3 months ago

          The only way that sounds racist is if you’re a moron

          9 Like
          Reply
        • Brewer67

          3 months ago

          and gay

          1 Like
          Reply
      • DarkSide830

        3 months ago

        yeah, but is that worth sereval times more?

        Like
        Reply
  8. RustyHinge

    3 months ago

    Disrespected by MLB.

    One of my all time favorites. This guy gets life. I hope he hits 50 bombs this summer.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • isaacb22

      3 months ago

      He will, I think Smoak will hit about 30 and Adieny will hit about 20 and have a .300 BA

      1 Like
      Reply
  9. Murphy NFLD

    3 months ago

    Id rather have Thames then smoak easy. I feel like smoak always struggled with breaking balls so i think he is going to suck in japan. Also if Smoaks deal is for 1 year that puts him in the top 2 or 3 players money wise
    Edit: top 3 npb contracts last year were between 5 and 6 mil

    1 Like
    Reply
  10. Clif

    3 months ago

    At the price of 1.2 million, I am surprised the Brewers didn´t go after him. I am a die hard Brewers fan, and Thames is a great locker room teammate according to the team. He also put up decent stats while being a Brewer. Plus, the Brewers don´t really have a 1st Baseman. Don´t give me Daniel Vogelbach either. He is a DH not a 1st Baseman.

    Like
    Reply
  11. lowtalker1

    3 months ago

    Thames is better over seas

    1 Like
    Reply
  12. letsgodbacks

    3 months ago

    One of them could play DH were it not that the Yomiuri Giants play in the NL version of the NPB.

    Like
    Reply
    • bluejays77

      3 months ago

      lol I came here to post the same comment. Thames likely plays a corner OF spot and gets removed after 6 innings for a defensive sub

      Like
      Reply
  13. IjustloveBaseball

    3 months ago

    Bummer — Thames was one of my favorite players; fun to watch, and seemed like a good guy.
    I think this is where we’re going to see the current “economic climate” really affect players — the lower tier FA’s, particularly hitters.
    On Thames’ part, I could see his decision to sign with the Y. Giants stemming from a reluctance to wait out the MLB market. I’d assume he would’ve been a guy who would’ve received more attention if the NL were to officially adopt the DH moving forward.

    Like
    Reply
  14. giant4life

    3 months ago

    Yomiuri Giants making bigger moves than the San Francisco Giants

    2 Like
    Reply
  15. Geoff Bonn

    3 months ago

    I wish the SF Giants would be half as interesting as the Yomiuri Giants

    1 Like
    Reply
  16. Peart of the game

    3 months ago

    Looks like Gerardo Parra is also going to play somewhere else in 2020.

    Like
    Reply
  17. Ga

    3 months ago

    Yeah, no DH in Central League. The Y Giants would like it and are pushing it and have all the money and political power, so…

    Like
    Reply
  18. Cgoss

    3 months ago

    Eric had no choice to sign somewhere else. Bell and Zimmerman equals no at bats

    Like
    Reply

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