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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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Nippon Professional Baseball Transactions Eric Thames

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View Comments (44)

Comments

  1. lordd99

    2 years ago

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

    Reply
    • Hosmer for HOF

      2 years ago

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

      Reply
      • joedirte4life

        2 years 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.

        Reply
        • WereAllJustGuestsHere

          2 years 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.

        • Datashark

          2 years ago

          no one has a better agent than Chris Davis.

        • goalieguy41

          2 years ago

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

        • LordShade

          2 years ago

          Scott Boras?

      • jrhoades

        2 years ago

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

        Reply
    • FredMcGriff for the HOF

      2 years ago

      Eric has a awesome beard. Get that money!

      Reply
    • Ducky Buckin Fent

      2 years 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.

      Reply
      • Costanza1321

        2 years ago

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

        Reply
  2. Marty McRae

    2 years 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.

    Reply
    • Marty McRae

      2 years ago

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

      Reply
    • whiptydojoe

      2 years ago

      ha ha ha, okay buddy

      Reply
  3. stubby66

    2 years 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.

    Reply
    • jaysfansince1977

      2 years ago

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

      Reply
  4. joeyrocafella

    2 years ago

    Next season he’ll play with Manny Ramirez in Australia

    Reply
    • Tim_Buck-Two

      2 years ago

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

      Reply
      • iains

        2 years ago

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

        Reply
  5. beerncheese

    2 years ago

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

    Reply
    • brewcrewjazz

      2 years ago

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

      Reply
    • jbeerj

      2 years 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?

      Reply
  6. julyn82001

    2 years ago

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

    Reply
  7. DarkSide830

    2 years ago

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

    Reply
    • tom brunanskys black sock

      2 years ago

      His agent is a fiery negotiator.

      Reply
    • jaysfansince1977

      2 years 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

      Reply
      • redsfan48

        2 years ago

        That last part sounds wildly racist.

        Reply
        • clrrogers

          2 years ago

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

        • DTDATL

          2 years ago

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

        • Brewer67

          2 years ago

          and gay

      • DarkSide830

        2 years ago

        yeah, but is that worth sereval times more?

        Reply
  8. RustyHinge

    2 years ago

    Disrespected by MLB.

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

    Reply
    • isaacb22

      2 years ago

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

      Reply
  9. Murphy NFLD

    2 years 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

    Reply
  10. Clif

    2 years 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.

    Reply
  11. lowtalker1

    2 years ago

    Thames is better over seas

    Reply
  12. letsgodbacks

    2 years ago

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

    Reply
    • bluejays77

      2 years 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

      Reply
  13. IjustloveBaseball

    2 years 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.

    Reply
  14. giant4life

    2 years ago

    Yomiuri Giants making bigger moves than the San Francisco Giants

    Reply
  15. Geoff Bonn

    2 years ago

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

    Reply
  16. Peart of the game

    2 years ago

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

    Reply
  17. Ga

    2 years 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…

    Reply
  18. Cgoss

    2 years ago

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

    Reply

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