Former Boston reliever Hirokazu Sawamura is looking for another opportunity in the US over a return to Japan, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe.
Sawamura pitched for a decade in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball before going stateside, signing for the Red Sox on a two-year, $3MM deal. He’d compiled a 2.77 ERA across 868 1/3 NPB innings. Sawamura initially worked as a starter for Yomiuri but switched to the bullpen in 2015 and became the team’s closer. A shoulder injury saw him miss the 2017 season, but he’d return as a quality setup man before his eventual move to the US in 2021.
When the Red Sox landed Sawamura, 32 at the time, it was seen as an affordable pact with a fair bit of upside if he could excel in the transition to MLB. While he never blossomed into a dominant relief arm, he did give the Sox some valuable middle relief innings. In 2021, Sawamura tossed 53 innings of 3.06 ERA ball, striking out batters at a strong 26.2% clip and walking them at a below-average 13.7% rate.
2022 started well for Sawamura, as he held a 2.48 ERA on July 23. Things went downhill quickly though, and over the next month Sawamura would work to a 5.40 ERA before the Red Sox opted to designate him for assignment in late August. All told, Sawamura owned a 3.39 ERA over 103 2/3 innings for Boston. Given his affordable salary that mark would make the DFA a little surprising, but there were some troubling signs below the surface, and Sawamura had seen his strikeout rate dip and his HardHit% jump towards the end of his time with the Red Sox.
There also may have been some financial motivation to the DFA. There was a club and player option in place for 2023 with the value of those options increasing based on performance. Sawamura had a player option of $1.9MM at the time of the DFA, while the club option sat at $3.7MM. The player option would have increased to $2MM with his 50th appearance, but the Sox DFA’d him after his 49th appearance. Boston would outright Sawamura to Triple-A, but he’d ask for a release from the team ten days later to pursue other opportunities. The Red Sox granted that release, and Sawamura received a $1MM buyout on the 2023 option.
I rather see him there then on the Sox, hope he finds his place.
You can never have enough pitching. Given the present roster configurations, I’d still like him on the Sox. While I’ve mostly defended Bloom, releasing him as they did was a Tampa Rays move. DD I don’t believe would have released him one appearance shy of more costs locking in. In the big picture, the money is minimal.
Not sure what your basing that on Dewey, but watching him was difficult. Over 2 years: 5.1 BB/9, Whip of 1.43. Ive seen enough.
Compared to Brasier, Brasier’s numbers are better, and Im not a Brasier fan.
The staff in my view has been improperly used. He was overworked and tired out. Just my view.
dewey – Bloom did the exact same thing to Vaz in 2021, cost him a million too.
Time to fall on your sword dude, it ain’t out there…
Maybe find another sword in the stone.
Im sure he gets something, maybe a minor league deal with an invite to ST with an opt out if he doesnt hit the 40 man
He should have a job by now. Texas?
Orioles could sign him to a minor league deal
I would be down with that
If his ERA regularly outperforms his FIP, he should get a Major League deal, imo. Bref projects his ERA next season to be 3.70. That would help Texas, given their 8 game underperformance from runs scored vs allowed and their 15-35 record in 1 run games.
If the Rangers outbid everyone including the Orioles so be it
However I would like to see him land in Baltimore
You went from “sign him to a minor league deal” to “If the Rangers outbid everyone” so fast.
Well I was acquiescing to you, I thought maybe you knew something
I would want him on a minor league deal
I already posted that he should have fallen on his sword, I’m censored, was my father censored when he fought in 1944.? Not liking this MLBTR right now.
I’m not seeing why it would be censored.
Curly, ever hear of the Yamashita Standard?
I’m sure he wasn’t censored back then. Just out of interest, which Panzer division did he serve with?
Sox won’t take him because he is not Bloom’s guy. Haven’t you noticed he has gotten rid of the guys he didn’t add to the team. Management has allowed him to do that too. They have destroyed this team. This will be a third last place team for Bloom and the rest of the owners but not me, I’m done with them after 70+ years.
The problem with Sawamura isn’t because he isn’t “Bloom’s guy” (FYI: Bloom signed Sawamura after the 2020 season), it’s because he could not get anyone out for the last month that he was with the Sox. He’s worth a minor league flier for just about any team
Rsox – More specifically, throughout his ML career he simply couldn’t throw strikes.
5.1 BB9 is horrible, especially for a reliever.
And he can’t throw to bases, most Sox fans remember his 10th inning throw in Baltimore that cost the Sox the game.
How many chances has “bad news” Barnes gotten? Shawarma was very good for much of his brief time with Boston. Given the contract the team gave Barnes, which contract would you rather have for 23?
dewey – Barnes had a very strong second half last year, I am expecting him to have a solid season.
I was trying very hard not to remember that game…
Boy did I butcher his name…
Barnes has been up and down so many times. How can he be counted on?
dewey – In terms of relievers Barnes has been quite consistent. Even with the health issues (Covid, chopped off thumb) he’s got a 12.1 SO9 since 2016.
You can’t count on him 100%. but I think the same can be said about a lot of RPs. I’d say two things work in favor of higher expectations for Barnes:
1-He might work better in a support role.
He was solid in the final two months. Nothing great, but only a couple of weak innings.
I’m licking my chops over some shawarma.
Barnes is a dumpster fire wearing a hat with a “B” on it.
Sox dumped him because he was ineffective the last half of 2022 and he cost too much. Your comment about Bloom dumping him because he wasn’t “his guy” is reflective of the stupidity and ignorance of the Bloom Derangement Syndrome commentators that have come to dominate the comments. on this site. And if you think the Sox care that you are done with them, then that’s another syndrome you suffer from – Self Importance.
PK – There are Octogenarians and pre-teens who post here.
So maybe lighten up a bit on the insults?
“Lighten up”Is he wrong?
tan – Is being right about who signed Sawamura justification for calling somebody stupid and ignorant?
Does being right mean it’s okay to insult senior citizens for making mistakes?
I’m guessing he wouldn’t have said that in person to an 80-year-old or a 12-year-old. At least I would hope he wouldn’t.
Look at how suit responded, with class and respect. That’s the way it should be with everybody.
Earth to Fever Pitch Guy. I’m 78 years old. Go pound sand.
Does being right mean it’s okay to insult senior citizens for making mistakes?
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That’s a little bit of the soft bigotry of low expectations.
And spareman could simply have admitted he made a mistake.
PK – You can be whatever you want to be on the internet, as long as you’re nice. Pretend it’s still the Christmas season if you have to.
Cost too much for a big market club?
I could care less what the Sox think. I know what I think and I’ve had with them.
I know what I think and I’ve had with them.
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Not for nothing, but you aren’t entitled to your own sets of facts. Just admit that you were wrong.
Cool story bro…
Sawamura was a “Bloom guy”. Bloom joined the Red Sox in 2019. Sawamura was there in 2021 and 2022.
I will not join the pity parties for Red Sox and Giants. These two teams have had more championships than most during this generation.
There are thirty teams. Even for a big market team, if you can make the playoffs half the time with (now) 12 playoff teams that is not bad. And one championship every 20 to 30 years is not bad.
Only half the teams can be above the median! You should recognize that your glass is half full, not half empty. Happy New Year to all!
Manny – The whole point of being a fan is wanting your team to win, and enjoying their quest to do just that.
No Sox fan will ever say “I don’t mind if my team stinks this year because they won the WS 5 years ago”.
Nor should they.
And Happy New Year to you as well.
However, fans of other teams don’t want to hear it.
In Manny’s defense, when your team only wins a championship about once every millennia 20 or 30 years doesn’t seem so bad
As my friend Nick Yemana would say, “Very well put!”
And you can add the Cardinals, Marlins, Dodgers, Astros, and Yankees to that list.
I’m done with them after 70+ years.
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Since you didn’t know that Sawamura only played for the RS for two years, I’m not sure how much attention you’re been paying to them.
This guy has Dodgers bounce back written all over it.
I wish the Angels would give him a shot though.
Agreed. Seems like exactly the kind of player the Dodgers could make into an All-Star caliber reliever
Rangers should give this guy big money to be in their bullpen and spot start for deGrom’s missed starts.
Cubs could use another righty. Sign him up Jed.
Strikeouts way down last year.
He’s looking for a major league deal. That;s going to be hard to come by.
Just don’t bring him in with guys on base
Is he as bad as Lester?
Angels are coming in hot
A team could do a lot worse than Hirokazu.
When removing the eight intentional walks issued his walk rate drops to a slightly more palatable 4.42 uBB/9 (11.2%) which is still bad but not as horrible. I could see a rebuilding team take a low cost flyer on Sawamura
Yankees seem to pick Sawx garbage
He may have a hard time with the pitch clock. An excruciatingly slow worker.
He’s not going to top the $1.9m player option; looks like it was a misfire to request his release.
He got 1Mill so he just needs 900k to even out. Pretty sure he could top that on the open market. I thought we should’ve traded him at the deadline along with Strahm Wacha Hill Martinez Eovaldi and even Bogaerts. Commit to a full rebuild already
It should be pretty entertaining watching him try to work with the pitch clock in-play.
The guy takes forever and a day between pitches on the mound!