Star Japanese hurler Kodai Senga is one of the most intriguing entrants on this offseason’s free agent market. The right-hander is arguably the second-best pitcher remaining behind Carlos Rodón, and he’s already been tied to almost a third of the league in various reports.
Reflecting that wide interest, Senga’s agent Joel Wolfe told reporters at the Winter Meetings this afternoon his client has been offered deals of five and six years (via Kyle Glaser of Baseball America). Predictably, Wolfe didn’t divulge salary figures but suggested Senga’s prioritizing the opportunity to join a win-now club. Earlier in the offseason, Wolfe told Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago the right-hander was hoping to land in a big market.
There’s certainly a risk in committing five or six seasons to a pitcher without any track record against big league hitters. At the same time, it’s not hard to understand how the bidding has apparently worked its way to that level. Senga has a fantastic track record at the highest level in Japan, working to a 2.59 ERA in parts of 11 NPB seasons. He’s coming off 144 frames of 1.94 ERA ball, striking out an above-average 27.5% of opponents. He walked batters at an average 8.6% clip.
According to scouting reports, Senga has a fastball that sits in the mid-upper 90’s and an excellent splitter that serves as his top secondary offering. Evaluators have raised some concerns about his breaking ball and the consistency of his strike-throwing effectiveness, but he bolsters a high-octane top two pitches and has a long track record of success at NPB’s highest level. Headed into his age-30 season, he’ll step right into an MLB rotation, with his signing team surely at least anticipating mid-rotation caliber production.
The starting pitching market has picked up in recent days, with Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, Zach Eflin and Andrew Heaney all coming off the board on multi-year deals. Beyond Rodón, Senga leads a group with Chris Bassitt, Nathan Eovaldi and Jameson Taillon as the next tier of free agent starters. Senga is the youngest of that group and figures to land the longest deal; it’s quite possible he’ll secure the largest guarantee as a result, even if his annual salaries may check in a bit below those of Bassitt and Eovaldi.
Entering the offseason, MLBTR predicted Senga to land a five-year, $75MM contract. He’s a true international free agent, so a signing team won’t owe any compensation to his former NPB club, the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The Blue Jays, Red Sox, Padres, Mets, Giants, Yankees and Mariners are among the teams that have been linked to him this offseason. Wolfe told reporters there are currently between a half-dozen and a dozen teams still involved in the market (via Glaser).
Players’ market.
Ahhhh….so, what’s next?
I don’t know. My head is spinning.
An agent would neeeever exaggerate on the years.
That’s a lot of years to drop on a guy that’s never toed MLB rubber. Let’s just hope he’s more Ohtani than Kei Igawa.
I forget, how hard did Igawa throw?
Mets 5 years 85 mil
He’s not old enough for their rotation. 35+ or riot. I’m kidding by the way and the Mets are going to be good again obviously. Just old.
Senga to the Blue Jays?
Speak it into existence
That “win now” team is the Padres. He’ll fit perfect with Darvish and master a third (or 4th, 5th, 6th….) pitch to his sequence. He can also be helped by former teammate Nick Martinez. Lets go Preller, make your annual splash starting with Senga!
and former teammate Saurez!
If true this is craziness.
Win now ball club? Big market? Sounds like he’s a Phillie
Honestly doesn’t really narrow it down. Both NY teams, Houston, LA, Toronto, Philly, maybe even Boston and Anaheim all fit that description.
jdgoat – The Sox aren’t a win now team ATM, that is for certain.
I don’t think Senga would sign based on a promise to improve from Bloom.
Fever – Even ignoring the years, and the win-now consideration, the Asian ballplayers are also used to a culture big on respect and where the relationship between employee and employer has more loyalty and looking out for eachothers interests than brute capitalism.
It’s always interesting to read what NPB clubs give to American players coming in to help them and how different that relationship is.
With that baseline, a team run the way bloom does it really stands not much chance unless there’s a massive overpay.
Ya Boston doesn’t fit
The Angels are not a win now team. Jerry could go after this guy too. He will at least try. He should do a contract like he did for Kikuchi. 6 or 7 years but broken into 2-3 segments. They went 6 years with 2 breaks in it. They could let him go after any of those clauses. They did on the 2nd one. Then Toronto signed him. How many years you guys have him? Lol they should have started him one of the playoff games. Lol
The Angels aren’t a win now team? If they get Senga their rotation will be among the best. Acquire and offensive shortstop and their offense will be elite. That team is underrated. They were among the best until they were ravaged by injuries. Easy to dismiss, but I think it’s a pedestrian analysis.
Yeah we hear this every year how great they are. Our lineup of pitchers will still be better than you. You have Trout Ohtani for a year Rendon the walking IL guy. Who else is elite? Cry the injury excuse we all have them but we adopt and overcome. I bet this whole winter you will be talking and come May you will shut up because you are not close. Lol
Here is the annual we will be better than everyone. If we get this guy and that guy we will be elite. Our SPs will still be better and why would either of the Japanese players go there? You don’t think they will talk to Ohtani? He isn’t going to endorse you. So now you have the same line up the same fielders you have 1 good 1 and a walking IL at 3rd.
I will get robbed for this I will take Julio over Trout right now. Younger and will soon be the best player in BB. We have him until he is 60. You guys will pose all winter and by May mostly shut up because you won’t be in it again. Good Luck getting any Japanese teams to come. Ohtani could very well come to the team that came in 2nd. How are you going to feel when you see him how many times a year next year? Lol
So he’ll sign for four years
YBC, No amigo it means he’ll probably sign for 7/165
YBC, strike that….8/215
I’m guessing 9/360 from the Rangers, with incentives that could take it up to 500.
Heaney was supposedly refusing anything less than four years this morning. He just signed a two year this afternoon. Anything can happen.
He was absolutely horrible for the Angels. Never won a big game in his life. Folds every time under pressure. Trout and Ohtani are licking their chops getting to hit against him.
Carla, Trouty wants to square up against him in Arlington that’s for sure!
Of course he is going to land in a big market. Duh.
Giants need to be all over this guy
Mariners. 6 years, 105. Slots right in to a great rotation all locked down another 4 years.
Which would pretty much free them up to trade both Flexen and Gonzales, whose values should be increasing, given the sizes of the current FA SP deals.
There’s no way Bloom pays this guy so you can scratch the Red Sox off this list
Which is why it’s something he would do. He has less mileage on his arm then an average 30 year old, list of 3-4 fancy sounding stats, finish with a vague comment about work still needing to be done….
If he goes to one of the NL East contenders – oh boy! Incredible game of “I’ll raise you” going on between NYM & PHI – with ATL almost certain to strike back with an “take that, tough guy!”
Come to Anaheim. 6 man rotation ready to slide right into!
Yup, there already employing a 6 man rotation, and he has his countryman in it.
problem is, he said he wants to WIN.
So, let’s say he chose that route and goes across town or to NY…
How many more games did they play than the Angels this year and what did they win??
Another division flag?
Whoa, nice..
Bleacher reports claims judge to giants is done deal
Just Heyman jumping the gun again.
LOL Arson Judge. C’mon Heyman. Hahahaaa
The Bucs are the dark horse team that he will sign with 🙂
And then be traded at the deadline in ’24.
Nah, They are gonna be a contender! (speaking in my best Marlon Brando voice)
🙂
Bloom will lose!
I call BS on half dozen teams in on him
Dodgers get in here already.
Joe Ricketts his silver spoon kids and Jed Hoyer the green light to spend what he needs to turn the team around. I’d love to see Kodai Senga on the cubs for the next 5 years
He’s a perfect fit in a lot of places.
If I’m the Giants I’d target a tandem of Senga and Nimmo over just Judge.
6 years, $150 million.
Does his relatively high walk rate in Asia scare anybody?
No. The people over there are very tiny. It’s like pitching to Eddie Gaedel.
Dodgers to go with next season’s FA signing Ohtani.
Dreamer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B885n08hOmw
Senga was born and lives in an incredible seaside resort town in central Japan full of hot springs and temples. Its less than 2 hours south of Tokyo by bullet train. Its absolutely awesome. A place to visit both summer and winter.
He played his NPB ball in a seaside resort town on the north side of Kyushu, the southern island in Japan and its known for its beaches, fishing, and temples.
To me either he wants to be in the hustle and bustle of the big city life and will sign in NY or Chicago because its the opposite of what he has known or he will sign in someplace like San Diego or Seattle that is very similar to where he has spent his whole life.