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Justin Smoak To Sign With Yomiuri Giants

By Connor Byrne | January 6, 2021 at 9:09pm CDT

JANUARY 6: The deal is now complete and will promise Smoak $6MM, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).

DECEMBER 29: Free-agent first baseman Justin Smoak is nearing a contract with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports. Smoak will earn a guaranteed $6MM to $7MM if the deal goes through.

The 34-year-old Smoak divided last season between the Brewers and Giants (San Francisco, not Yomiuri) and posted a brutal .162/.250/.361 line with five home runs in 132 plate appearances. Smoak’s strikeout rate (31.8) was the second-highest figure of his career and a 10-plus percent increase over the number he recorded in 2019 with the Blue Jays. Considering his weak production from 2020, Smoak would have been hard-pressed to approach his agreement with Yomiuri in value had he stayed in the majors in 2021, so it’s no surprise the switch hitter is on his way to Japan to collect a larger paycheck and perhaps rebuild his stock for big league teams.

If this is the last we’ve seen of Smoak in MLB, though, he’ll go down as someone who had an up-and-down tenure at the game’s highest level. The 11th overall pick of the Rangers in 2008 and once among Baseball America’s top 15 prospects, Smoak has seen major league action with five teams (the Mariners are the other). Smoak was at his best in Toronto from 2017-18, when he slashed .256/.353/.495 with 63 home runs and a 128 wRC+ across 1,231 trips to the plate. He hasn’t come close to matching that form since then, however.

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Nippon Professional Baseball Transactions Justin Smoak

Tigers Outright Eric Haase
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Open Market Notes: Kluber, Twins/Cruz, Nats, Odorizzi
View Comments (90)

Comments

  1. WarkMohlers

    2 years ago

    He going to absolutely mash overseas, even if he most likely won’t in the MLB ever again

    Reply
    • I Beg To Differ

      2 years ago

      Someone would say he’s going to smoak the competition.

      I’ll see myself out.

      Reply
      • philliesphan77

        2 years ago

        Lol nice

        Reply
        • bigguccisosa300

          2 years ago

          How is that “nice” it’s a dumb lazy easy pun

        • TommyHawkBraves

          2 years ago

          Some people like puns… Justin case you didn’t know.

        • DodgersFiend86

          2 years ago

          You’re a dumb easy lazy pun

        • sorayablue

          2 years ago

          You’re just mad because you didn’t get to post it first! 🙂

        • machumizer

          2 years ago

          The other guy got here justin time

      • Fred McGriff

        2 years ago

        Smoak is going to get smoked in Japan.

        Reply
        • compassrose

          2 years ago

          Justin’s hitting was real streaky. He was hot as an ember but then it would go up in Smoak and disappear.

      • cryptonerd

        2 years ago

        I agree.
        It’s sad that no one in the MLB, wanted that Smoak.

        Reply
    • Marty McRae

      2 years ago

      If he destroys pitching in Japan and MLB has a universal DH, he will definitely be back.

      Reply
      • WarkMohlers

        2 years ago

        If he does well I think his age, inconsistency, and platoon splits will make many clubs hesitant to bring him back even with a universal DH. Maybe a minor league deal, but I’d be surprised.

        Stranger things have happened, and if I’m wrong then good for him.

        Reply
      • Benjamin560

        2 years ago

        If he does it’ll be Justin time!

        Reply
        • Ramon ParraGarcia

          2 years ago

          Will mike Fiers join him? Where there’s Smoak there’s Fiers *giggle*

      • lordd99

        2 years ago

        Most AL clubs use the DH slot for rotation. It’s better to add another position player who can play the field, such as another OFer and rotate them through. That’s why Ozuna is a good DH candidate. You can plan to DH him but you can also put him out in the field when needed. Even the Yankees planned to rotate their OFers through the DH spot with Stanton before he became brittle. My point is I don’t think Smoak is DH material. A player needs to be Nelson Cruz or Stanton to block the DH slot full time.

        Reply
        • compassrose

          2 years ago

          I would think he is mostly a glove and not a bat. He will probably make the club’s plan around him because he CAN put the ball a long way into the stands. Not sure what his D metrics were on the other teams but he was way better than his uzr and other stats said. I like the old fashioned eye test over some of those stats especially the D ones. I believe they have gotten better. Smoak was a decent defender in Seattle.

    • julyn82001

      2 years ago

      You got to go where they pay you what you deserved and what you are entitled to, period…

      Reply
    • G_G

      2 years ago

      Well Justin Bour certainly didn’t mash at all in Japan, so we’ll see about Smoak.

      Reply
    • MetsFan22

      2 years ago

      He should have signed a minor league deal with the Mets. Obviously he won’t have a spot but if someone gets injured and he comes up for a little he would get the ring when the Mets win. He’ll have fun in Japan regardless. It’s a nice place and he’ll be elite.

      Reply
      • WarkMohlers

        2 years ago

        No! Be gone!

        Reply
    • cdr9er

      2 years ago

      @warkmohlers I was thinking the same thing, dudes going hit like 40 bombs over there haha. Good for him, 6-7mm is a lot better than AAA at his age.

      Reply
    • GoYanks

      2 years ago

      How so? There are many bigger Japanese players out there too.

      Reply
  2. Hosmer for HOF

    2 years ago

    Actually it’s 6-7M doll hairs mlbtr.. Don’t know why they’d offer him anything more than that

    Reply
  3. Srechter35

    2 years ago

    Wow, quite a payday for a guy who might’ve been looking at a minor league deal in MLB. Wonder if the struggling financial times might see even more fringe types moving to play overseas.

    Reply
  4. zinny

    2 years ago

    For this off-season the site should be renamed NPB/KBO rumors.

    Reply
    • bigguccisosa300

      2 years ago

      That is where players are going. So they report it. Wtf do you expect

      Reply
      • DodgersFiend86

        2 years ago

        Dude, chill out any stop beating your dog

        Reply
  5. joedirte4life

    2 years ago

    Gotta give his agent credit for hustling 6-7 million dollars out of that team.

    Reply
    • lowereastsider

      2 years ago

      He’s probably only worth a ST invite.

      Reply
    • Sheep8

      2 years ago

      Ha! Well said! Hope he does mash it there, but sometimes players just can’t adapt to the different style of play, the instant pressure placed upon them and understandable lack of patience from teams in their mercenaries.

      Reply
    • tom brunanskys black sock

      2 years ago

      It’s the wrong tone.

      Reply
  6. Marty McRae

    2 years ago

    Huge deal for him, great work by his agent to get that big money and after he mashes like 60 homers in Japan he will come back to a MLB that has a universal DH and enough time to get in a nice second run in the bigs.

    Reply
    • racosun

      2 years ago

      Ah yes, that fantastic second run at 35-36 years old. Gonna make bank!

      Reply
    • Fred McGriff

      2 years ago

      @Marty McRae No chance he hits 60 HR’s in Japan. Happy to revisit this post after the 2021 season is concluded.

      Reply
  7. mack423

    2 years ago

    Wow, nice guarantee for him. Always liked him as a prospect. College bat with great discipline, power, average.

    Reply
  8. DarkSide830

    2 years ago

    wow solid guarantee

    Reply
  9. bluejays92

    2 years ago

    I was always so annoyed with Smoak during his first two years in Toronto. He was a low average, strikeout machine that made me pull out my hair. Then in 2017 he turned those around and became a favourite of mine on the team and I’ve been rooting for him since. I hope he crushes over in Japan and maybe we’ll see him again. If this is the end in North America though, it was a solid little career for a guy who seemed real nice and humble. I know that he’s really close with Kevin Pillar, maybe one day they’ll be teammates over there even.

    Reply
    • jaysjunkie

      2 years ago

      Totally agree. Happy smoakie is getting some money. I think he’s days in the MLB are over but I sure enjoyed him SMOAKING balls out of Rogers centre

      Reply
  10. jays_fan_mike

    2 years ago

    Doesn’t specify that it’s a one year contract. For that much coin, maybe it’s longer deal?

    Reply
  11. NYYstateofmind

    2 years ago

    Sayonara Smokie, don’t call us, we’ll call you.

    Reply
  12. etex211

    2 years ago

    Smoak is a perfect example of why you never overvalue your prospects. Smoak and Blake Beaven were what my Rangers paid for Cliff Lee. Neither Smoak nor Beaven ever made my Rangers regret the deal.

    Reply
    • I Beg To Differ

      2 years ago

      Don’t stop. Beaven. Hold on to that feeeellllinnnnnn.

      Reply
    • Wool E. Bull

      2 years ago

      Don’t forget Josh Lueke!!!!!

      Reply
      • Wool E. Bull

        2 years ago

        To be fair, the Rangers traded for a half season of a very average Cliff Lee. In 15 games with them he only won 4 games, going 4-6 with a 4 ERA… also picking up 2 losses in the World Series, albeit still a great year for TX with a World Series appearance! But no one seemed to “win” that trade.

        Reply
        • tad2b13

          2 years ago

          Wool E. Bull:

          To be fair? Your take wasn’t at all fair. And it’s exactly why most knowledgeable baseball fans do not judge a pitcher by W/L record, and use only ERA in context with FIP and ERA+, at least for the regular season. His FIP for Tex was 2.99, so the fault for that 4.00 ERA (which isn’t bad at all, BTW), is clearly shared by the defense playing behind him.

          Nice of you to cherry-pick what he did in the WS, and ignore the rest of the PS, where he went 3 and 2. It’s doubtful the Rangers even get to the WS without him. He pitched 16 innings over 2 games against the Rays for 2 wins, one was a CG. Then he shutout the Yankees in an 8 inning outing.

          Any pitcher can have a bad PS, just ask Kershaw. Max Scherzer didn’t fair well against the Giants in the 2012 PS. Verlander is 0-6 with a 5.68 ERA in the WS. The Rangers would make that trade again knowing what they know now, and by any estimation, they clearly won that trade.

        • etex211

          2 years ago

          Lee also gave the Rangers some length they needed in the regular season. He gave them over 100 innings in his 15 starts, and his WHIP was only 1..06.

          There’s no doubt in my mind that my Rangers wouldn’t have made it to the World Series without Cliff Lee’s contributions. I’d make that trade again in a heartbeat.

        • compassrose

          2 years ago

          Smoak always had that run to where you thought he’d figured it out. Would come from nowhere them be gone after a few weeks or a month. (was what my bad pun up top was about)

          It was his third or fourth year here he started the season on fire was hot for a month then was lucky he had a decent glove. The announcers talked about how hard he worked. Zunino was just like that too. Maybe a flaw in development or called up to fast or both. They like to call guys up to soon. Hopefully they are patient with our young guys as much as we want to see them let them be ready.

  13. teddyk

    2 years ago

    I can’t see that money being the right figure. Who were they bidding against to drive it up to 6-7 mil

    Reply
    • gcc10

      2 years ago

      I figure the only competition was Smoak’s own leverage – Yomiuri having to convince him to move overseas. “If I don’t make x, I’ll just stay in the US with the career $30M I’ve made.”

      Other than that, I have no idea if he had other suitors in NPB… anyway from the comments looks like a 2-yr deal. Good for him

      Reply
  14. Bigtimeyankeefan

    2 years ago

    I beg… that was a reach… funny but a reach lol

    Reply
  15. Murphy NFLD

    2 years ago

    If i remember correctly hes had trouble with breaking balls, so is japan really the place

    Reply
  16. magnificence

    2 years ago

    I’ve seen some reports on Twitter that Yomiuri also signed Eric Thames today. Interesting combo if true, but somewhat wondering if they were mistaken on which ex-Brewers/Jays first baseman they signed as I haven’t seen it nearly as widely reported as the Smoak signing.

    Reply
  17. Brennan nedeff

    2 years ago

    Damn everyone going overseas lowkey kinda watch their games this season

    Reply
  18. jimmertee

    2 years ago

    During the excellent years in Toronto Smoak was seeing a sports psychologist and taking adderall. Adderall is a PED. Google tor star adderall for a great article on it.

    Reply
    • WereAllJustGuestsHere

      2 years ago

      And he should’ve been traded before the 2017 deadline with his career year, team control and price tag. And Donaldson.

      Reply
    • jaysfansince1977

      2 years ago

      Complete and Utter Nonsense Jimmer!

      Reply
      • TheRickestRick

        2 years ago

        It’s what Jimmer does best.

        Reply
      • jimmertee

        2 years ago

        Jaysfan, during that time Smoak admitted in an interview that he was seeing a counsellor and coincidentally his swing got real fast that year after 3000 at bats in the bigs. That doesn’t happen naturally. This two years are an outlier and anyone who knows anything about baseball knows that doesn’t happen naturally.

        Reply
        • tad2b13

          2 years ago

          jimmertee:

          It doesn’t sound as if you understand how steroids work. A swing doesn’t get faster just from taking a steroid. Steroids work by healing the body faster, allowing strenuous workouts more often. Guys can lift weights every day, instead of the usual every other day. But the player still has to do the work, steroids or not. The added muscle mass does not suddenly go away when steroids are discontinued. If his bat was faster after taking steroids his bat should have still been fast.

          Those two years, when he averaged a 127 OPS+, are not the outlier you make them out to be. Those happen to be the years he was most healthy. And looking at his age it’s reasonable those were the peak years of his prime. But he also had a 113 OPS+ in 2013, and a 105 in 2015.

          He was a streaky, eradicate hitter, who put together a couple of nice, but not great seasons, and seemingly fell of a cliff at age 33. Anyone who knows anything about baseball knows that does happen quite often.

        • Stormie

          2 years ago

          Adderall use is rampant among MLB players, so Smoak could hardly be singled out on that front. Adderall use also doesn’t explain why he only had one great year like you seem to want it to, since we can safely assume 2017 wouldn’t have been the only year he was taking it.

        • Nervehammer

          2 years ago

          Adderall, a stimulant by the way, would greatly help his reaction and how well he can see the ball. He’d be able to make split second decisions on whether to swing or not a lot easier. His brain, on overdrive, would also have an advantage on the cat and mouse at the plate.

  19. SCHWING and A Miss

    2 years ago

    Holy Smoak…That’s got 50 homeruns written all over it!

    Reply
    • Fred McGriff

      2 years ago

      No.

      Reply
  20. Peart of the game

    2 years ago

    Smoak will be replacing either Gerardo Parra or Zelous Wheeler

    Reply
  21. PunterHence

    2 years ago

    Smoak will always remind me of Giants fans pulling their hair out, debating whether the Giants should draft Smoak or…….Buster Posey.

    Reply
  22. kylegocougs

    2 years ago

    Smoak is absolutely ass. He’s not strong enough or good enough, and never really was.

    Reply
    • jaysfansince1977

      2 years ago

      Hey Kyle would Love to see you say that to his face bub!

      Reply
      • kylegocougs

        2 years ago

        I’d tell him he was ass in Seattle. He can’t do what I do, so why should I care that I cant do what he does?

        Reply
  23. Bone19

    2 years ago

    Good luck Smoak.

    Reply
  24. Rsox

    2 years ago

    Signing with Toronto saved Smoak’s career. If he had gone anywhere else and put up the numbers he did in Seattle we would not be talking about him today

    Reply
  25. brod21

    2 years ago

    I remember when this guy was the centerpiece of the Cliff Lee return for the Mariners just never really quite lived up to the huge prospect pedigree

    Reply
    • Rsox

      2 years ago

      Whats amazing is the Rangers literally churned out 3 everyday 1B in Smoak, Chris Davis, and Mitch Moreland at virtually the same time and now have a revolving door at the position (lets see if Lowe can be the guy to take the spot and run with it)

      Reply
  26. lordd99

    2 years ago

    Good deal for Smoak. He wasn’t getting 6-7M in the States come 2021.

    Reply
    • jnorthey

      2 years ago

      Always seemed like a nice guy here in Toronto. Glad to see him get a nice deal to keep playing, but not here in Toronto.

      Reply
  27. Unicorndog

    2 years ago

    This dude rakes and hits bombs.

    Reply
    • kylegocougs

      2 years ago

      When?

      Reply
  28. rizdakc99

    2 years ago

    He still outslugged Chris Davis last year by 188 points

    Reply
    • lowereastsider

      2 years ago

      My grandma can match Davis’ with her cane.

      Reply
  29. Murphy NFLD

    2 years ago

    Going by last years salaries in the NPB, if smoakies contract is for 1 year he is japans highest paid player

    Reply
    • filthyrich

      2 years ago

      Japan times says 2 years

      Reply
  30. taesamlee

    2 years ago

    How wonder how well they are expecting him to perform

    Reply
    • NYYstateofmind

      2 years ago

      How also wonder how much you’ve been blazin dude.

      Reply
  31. TrillionaireTeamOperator

    2 years ago

    That feels like an oddly massive guarantee for an MLBer headed to Japan, with Smoak’s good but not great track record. He’s an average power hitter with a low batting average.

    How’d he get $6M? Guys who sign these deals tend to get like $3-4M over there, it seems.

    Good for him, though!

    Reply
    • lordd99

      2 years ago

      It does seem like a lot for a Japanese-league team to pay. His bat should play well there if he hasn’t aged out. His recent numbers aren’t good, so it’s possible he’s done. Dropping down a level to a slightly less competitive league won’t necessarily mask a slowing bat.

      He wouldn’t get $6M in MLB at this stage, so he is no doubt happy to find another pot of gold over in Asia. If he has a big year, some MLB will have interest in 2022.

      Reply
  32. scarfish

    2 years ago

    Used to play little league with he and Reese havens. They were hitting 300 foot homers at age 11.

    Reply
  33. DocBB

    2 years ago

    Solid money for a guy that can no longer make a MLB roster

    Reply
  34. Mick10

    2 years ago

    6m for that boring stiff? Seriously?

    Reply
  35. tigerdoc616

    2 years ago

    $6M? Yea, he was not going to get that in the states. Wise decision to go to Japan.

    Reply
  36. lindyswap

    2 years ago

    This has to be for r 2 years? Guys don’t get $6M a season there.

    Reply

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