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Kohei Arihara

Kohei Arihara To Sign With NPB’s SoftBank Hawks

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Former Rangers righty Kohei Arihara is returning to Japan for the 2023 season and will sign with the SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball, per reports from Japanese outlets The Manichi and Sports Hochi. Prior to his two-year MLB run in Texas, Arihara had spent six seasons with NPB’s Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Now 30 years old, Arihara’s brief time in the Majors was tanked by health woes. Originally signed to a two-year, $6.2MM contract, the right-hander posted a 2.21 ERA through his first four big league starts in Texas. His velocity dropped more than two miles per hour over his next four outings, however, and Arihara was shelled for 16 runs over a period of 8 1/3 innings before heading to the injured list. The Rangers discovered an aneurysm in his shoulder that required immediate surgery which sidelined him more than three months. At the time, GM Chris Young noted that it was “a very serious condition if it’s not treated, and we’re very fortunate that this was caught early and we didn’t continue to push it with [Arihara].”

Arihara returned late in the 2021 season but pitched just a dozen innings in September. The Rangers removed him from the 40-man roster over the winter. He remained with the organization in 2022 and spent the bulk of his season with Triple-A Round Rock, though Texas did call on him for 20 Major League frames late in the summer. Arihara allowed 21 runs in those 20 innings, although a staggering 11 of them came in one outing against the Blue Jays where the Rangers seemingly left him on the mound in hopes of sparing the bullpen and designated him for assignment the next day.

All in all, Arihara tossed just 60 2/3 Major League innings for the Rangers in his time with the team. He’ll head back to his native Japan and look to further build upon what was a solid NPB career prior to his MLB audition. In 836 innings with the Fighters, Arihara notched a 3.74 ERA with an 18% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. He was particularly sharp in his final two pre-Rangers seasons, logging a 2.91 ERA through 297 innings in 2019-20.

Outrights: Mazeika, Davis, Arihara

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An update on a trio of players who’ll remain with their prior organizations after being designated for assignment and clearing waivers…

Latest updates

  • The Giants outrighted catcher Patrick Mazeika to Triple-A Sacramento, tweets Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Mazeika, who’d been DFA this week, didn’t make a big league appearance with San Francisco. Claimed off waivers from the Mets last month, he’s spent the past couple weeks on optional assignment to Sacramento. Mazeika hasn’t hit well there, but he’d posted solid numbers with New York’s top affiliate earlier in the season. Mazeika has never previously been outrighted and doesn’t have three years of MLB service, so he’ll stick in the organization for this year’s final few weeks. He’d reach minor league free agency over the offseason if he’s not added back to the 40-man roster.

Earlier

  • Red Sox outfielder Jaylin Davis went unclaimed on outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Worcester, tweets Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The 28-year-old Davis has spent time with the Twins, Giants and Red Sox organizations over the past five years but has never carried his stout Triple-A production over to the big league level. Granted, none of those clubs has given him much of a look in the Majors; Davis has just 95 plate appearances in the big leagues, during which time he’s posted a tepid .207/.274/.299 batting line. Davis turned in a colossal .306/.397/.590 slash with 35 homers in 541 plate appearances between the Triple-A affiliates for Minnesota and San Francisco in 2019, but even his Triple-A output has deteriorated since that standout showing. He’s had 353 turns at the plate in Triple-A this season and hit just .211/.317/.343 with a 30.9% strikeout rate.
  • Right-hander Kohei Arihara, designated for assignment by the Rangers this week, cleared outright waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A Round Rock, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. That’s not particularly surprising, given Arihara’s struggles and the fact that he’s still owed the balance of this season’s $2.6MM salary. It’s “only” about $286K, but given that Arihara has yielded 21 earned runs in 20 innings this season and carries a 7.57 ERA in 60 2/3 frames dating back to 2021, he was never likely to be claimed. Texas signed the now-30-year-old righty on the heels of a solid six-year run in NPB (3.74 ERA, 18% strikeout rate, 5.6% walk rate), hoping that he could provide some innings at the back of the rotation. That two-year, $6.2MM contract hasn’t panned out, however, and this is now the second time Arihara has been outrighted by the Rangers.

Rangers Designate Kohei Arihara, Select Tyson Miller

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The Texas Rangers announced that right-hander Kohei Arihara has been designated for assignment. The move opens up a roster spot for reliever Tyson Miller who has been selected to the roster.

Arihara, 30, joined the Rangers after the 2020 season on a 2-year, $6.2MM contract, with an additional $1.24MM spent on his posting fee to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He posted a poor 6.86 ERA in 40 2/3 innings during the 2021 season and followed it up with a weaker 9.90 ERA in 20 innings this season. He fared better in the minors, logging a 4.88 ERA in 72 innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League this year. That’s come with a 20.4% strikeout rate, 5.8% walk rate and 52.8% ground ball rate.

With the trade deadline now passed, the Rangers will have no choice but to put him on outright waivers or release waivers. Since he was outrighted earlier this year, he’ll have the right to refuse another outright assignment and elect free agency. If he signs a new contract with another team, that club will only have to pay him the prorated league minimum salary. The Rangers would be on the hook for the remainder of his salary.

Miller, 27, makes his return to the show after he was briefly up with the team earlier this year as a COVID replacement, pitching three innings over two games. Since he was a COVID replacement, he was able to be removed from the roster without being placed on waivers. The rest of his season has been spent at Triple-A, throwing 83 2/3 innings with a 4.73 ERA. He has a strong 29.5% strikeout rate but a worrisome 10.4% walk rate. Since he’s been largely working as a starter, he’ll give Texas an option in the bullpen for a multi-inning outing.

Rangers To Select Kohei Arihara

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Following last night’s game against the A’s, the Rangers announced that Kohei Arihara would get the ball for the second contest of the series this evening. It’ll be the 30-year-old’s first big league appearance of the season, as he’s spent the entire season with Triple-A Round Rock after being outrighted off the 40-man roster last September. The Rangers 40-man is currently full, so they’ll need to make a corresponding move this afternoon to formally select Arihara’s contract. Longtime Texas beat reporter Jeff Wilson first suggested that he could be on the radar for a call-up.

A longtime member of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan, Arihara made the jump to MLB over the 2020-21 offseason. The right-hander was made available by the Fighters via the posting process, and he ultimately signed a two-year, $6.2MM contract. Texas also paid a $1.24MM posting fee to the Fighters, pushing their total investment to around $7.5MM.

Arihara never threw especially hard or missed many bats in Japan, but he was a polished strike-thrower who pitched to a 3.74 ERA over six NPB seasons. Texas hoped that control could allow him to flourish as a back-of-the-rotation arm in the big leagues, but that hasn’t been the case thus far. Arihara made ten big league starts last season, allowing a 6.64 ERA over 40 2/3 innings while struggling mightily with the home run ball (2.43 HR/9). He required shoulder surgery that May and spent nearly four months rehabbing before returning in September. After three more starts, he was run through waivers and assigned to Triple-A.

Through 18 appearances (14 starts) with Round Rock in 2022, Arihara has a 4.88 ERA in 72 innings. His 20.4% strikeout rate is a bit below-average, but he’s demonstrating his customary excellent control (5.8% walk percentage). More importantly, he’s gotten his home run rate to a more manageable level than it was during his first MLB stint, largely because he’s inducing grounders on over half the batted balls against him. Arihara’s season line still isn’t eye-catching, but he’s allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his past five starts and will get a shot to try to carry that over against big league hitters.

Arihara’s contract wraps up at the end of the season, so the final couple months are particularly important for him personally. Capturing a rotation spot and performing serviceably over the next seven weeks would seem to be a prerequisite if he hopes to land a major league contract this winter. The Rangers have already bumped Taylor Hearn to a relief role after a rough run in the rotation, but they’re without Jon Gray due to an oblique strain and have given 18 starts to Glenn Otto without much consistent success. There’s enough uncertainty Arihara could have a path to picking up a handful of starts down the stretch.

Rangers Outright Kohei Arihara

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SEPTEMBER 21: Arihara has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Round Rock, the team announced. He’ll remain in the organization and look to pitch his way back onto the big league roster.

SEPTEMBER 19: The Rangers announced that right-hander Kohei Arihara has been designated for assignment.  The move opens up a roster spot for Mike Foltynewicz, who returns to action after being reinstated from the COVID-related injury list.

Arihara was the Rangers’ biggest free agent expenditure of the 2020-21 offseason, as Texas spent a total of $7.44MM to obtain the righty on a two-year contract.  $1.24MM of that money went towards a posting fee to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (Arihara’s NPB club), while Arihara himself received $6.2MM in salary — $3.6MM this season, and $2.4MM in 2022.

Now, it all looks like something of a sunk cost for the Rangers, since it seems quite unlikely that another team would absorb that cost by claiming Arihara off waivers.  If Arihara signed elsewhere on a minor league contract, a new team would only owe him the prorated portion of a minimum salary, leaving Texas on the hook for the rest of the money.

The 29-year-old Arihara began his MLB career in impressive fashion, posting a 2.21 ERA over his first four starts and 20 1/3 innings.  He struggled badly over his next three starts, however, due to what was eventually revealed as the development of an aneurysm in his throwing shoulder.  Arihara underwent surgery to remove that aneurysm in May and didn’t return to the Rangers until September, with a 6.75 ERA coming in Arihara’s 12 post-surgery innings.

Given Arihara’s injury problems and the small sample size, it is hard to really evaluate his first MLB campaign.  He had only a 13.5% strikeout rate, though he wasn’t a big strikeout pitcher even in his prime years in Japan.  The righty’s 7.3% walk rate was also somewhat similar to his NPB numbers, but Arihara’s biggest issue was the home run ball.  Arihara has given up 11 home runs over his 40 2/3 frames in the Show; for comparison’s sake, he gave up 89 homers over 836 innings with the Fighters.

While Arihara could clear waivers and accept an outright assignment to the Rangers’ farm system, today’s move could also very well spell the end of his time with the organization.  Despite Arihara’s struggles, he did attract attention from such teams as the Padres and Red Sox last winter.  Considering that Texas would be footing the bill, it wouldn’t be surprising to see either San Diego or Boston take a flier on Arihara on a minors deal.

Foltynewicz returns after just short of a month on the COVID-IL.  The right-hander was also an offseason addition, joining the Rangers on a one-year, $2MM free agent deal and then delivering a 5.54 ERA over 130 innings.  Foltynewicz’s 6.0% walk rate is a career best, though his 16.5% strikeout rate is a career worst and most of his Statcast numbers are decidedly below average.

Every Team’s Initial September Callups

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The limit on active roster players expanded from 26 to 28 today, as the calendar flipped to September. Every team announced at least two additions to the big league club (some teams made three or more due to injured list placements). Here’s a recap of today’s spate of transactions:

Rangers Select Jason Martin

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The Rangers announced Wednesday that they’ve selected the contract of outfielder Jason Martin from Triple-A Round Rock. He’ll take the active roster spot of David Dahl, who is headed to the 10-day injured list with a left rib cage contusion. Righty Kohei Arihara, who is slated to undergo shoulder surgery, was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Martin, 25, is out to a fast start in Triple-A after inking a minor league deal with Texas over the winter. The former Pirates farmhand is hitting .302/.413/.755 with seven home runs and three doubles through his first 63 trips to the plate — a far cry from the lackluster Triple-A output he produced in a pair of seasons with the Pirates’ top affiliate in Indianapolis.

Pittsburgh gave Martin brief MLB looks in both 2019 and 2020, but he hit only .200/.294/.244 in 51 plate appearances. This will be his first opportunity in the Majors with any other organization. The 2013 eighth-rounder was originally drafted by the Astros but flipped to Pittsburgh as part of the Gerrit Cole trade. The Pirates placed him on waivers at the end of the 2020 season, and he opted for free agency after going unclaimed.

The 27-year-old Dahl sustained his injury in yesterday’s game when he crashed into the right field wall as he tracked a Jared Walsh fly-ball that eventually left the yard. Formerly one of the Rockies’ top prospects — one of the top prospects in all of baseball, for that matter — Dahl’s career has been ravaged by injuries that led Colorado to non-tender him this winter rather than pay him a raise in arbitration. The Rangers took a chance on a $2.7MM deal for the former No. 10 overall pick, but he’s floundered thus far with his new team, hitting just .208/.242/.340 through 154 plate appearances.

Rangers’ Kohei Arihara To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

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Rangers right-hander Kohei Arihara will undergo surgery on his throwing shoulder, Texas GM Chris Young told reporters (including MLB.com’s Manny Randhawa and Sports Illustrated’s Chris Halicke).  The surgery will fix an aneurysm that was found in Arihara’s shoulder earlier this week.  It will be 12 weeks before Arihara can even resume throwing, so it is quite possible that Arihara’s 2021 season is finished.

Arihara was already on the injured list due to a contusion on his right middle finger, an issue that was revealed as being related to the aneurysm.  Young suggested that the aneurysm impacted Arihara’s performance over three starts prior to the IL placement, as Arihara was hit hard to the tune of a 17.28 ERA over 8 1/3 innings.

Baseball is hardly the first matter of concern at this point, however, as Young described the issue as “a very serious condition if it’s not treated, and we’re very fortunate that this was caught early and we didn’t continue to push it with [Arihara].”

Arihara signed a two-year, $6.2MM contract with Texas in the offseason, a deal that cost the Rangers an additional $1.24MM in posting fees to Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Arihara’s NPB team.  Arihara was a stalwart member of the Fighters’ rotation from 2015-20, posting a 3.74 ERA over 836 innings with a pitching repertoire that relied more on control and off-speed pitches rather than velocity.  (Arihara’s fastball averaged only 91mph this season.)

The Rangers and their fans saw some of this during Arihara’s first four starts of 2021, presumably before his aneurysm problems developed.  Arihara had a 2.21 ERA over his first 20 1/3 innings pitched in the big leagues, issuing 13 strikeouts against three walks.  If this is indeed it for Arihara in 2021, he’ll finish his rookie campaign with a 6.59 ERA/5.57 SIERA in 28 2/3 innings.

Young didn’t comment on how Texas would address Arihara’ rotation spot, though Hyeon-Jong Yang would seem like the favorite to remain in the starting five.  Drew Anderson, Brock Burke, or Wes Benjamin are some of the most likely options at Triple-A if the Rangers dipped into the farm system.

Rangers Place Kohei Arihara on Injured List, Claim Jack Kruger

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Before this afternoon’s game against the Mariners, the Rangers placed starter Kohei Arihara on the 10-day injured list with a right middle finger contusion. Utilityman Eli White has been recalled in his place. Additionally, Texas announced they’ve claimed catcher Jack Kruger off waivers from the Angels. Right-hander Kyle Cody was transferred to the 60-day injured list to open space on the 40-man roster. Cody has a right shoulder impingement.

After a productive career with the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, Arihara signed a low-cost, two-year deal with the Rangers. His MLB career hasn’t gotten off to a good start, as the righty has worked to a 6.59 ERA/5.54 SIERA over his first seven starts. Arihara has thrown a decent amount of strikes, but his 6.3% swinging strike rate and 13.4% strikeout rate are among the worst in the league. He’s also been too susceptible to the home run ball, having coughed up seven dingers in just 28 2/3 innings. With Arihara on the shelf, the Rangers could turn to Hyeon-jong Yang or Kolby Allard to fill his spot in the rotation.

Kruger is a 26-year-old catcher who made his MLB debut with Los Angeles this year. Ironically enough, he lost his spot on the Angels’ 40-man roster when L.A. acquired fellow backstop Drew Butera from the Rangers for cash considerations earlier in the week. The two catchers will essentially wind up swapping places. Kruger has a .262/.309/.354 line in 560 career Double-A plate appearances.

Injury Notes: Diaz, Springer, Arihara

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Let’s begin our Monday morning by rounding up some injury news from yesterday’s games…

  • Edwin Diaz left last night’s game against the Phillies after serving up a two-run double to Rhys Hoskins. Diaz was dealing with some back pain, but it doesn’t sound like the Mets are overly concerned, per Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). The Mets held on for the win anyway, pulling ahead of the Phillies into a tie for first place with the Nationals. Diaz has a 4.22 ERA/2.17 FIP in 10 2/3 innings so far with three saves, a slightly-depressed 31.8 percent strikeout rate and 11.4 percent walk rate. His velocity has been good so far this year with an average 98.8 mph fastball. If he misses time, Jeurys Familia could step in as he did last name, when he snagged the final out for the save.
  • George Springer was pulled from yesterday’s game because of fatigue in his legs, writes Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca. A quad injury has been bothering Springer as he tries to round himself into regular season form. While it’s a little concerning to see Springer pulled from just his fourth game of the year, it doesn’t sound as if the Blue Jays anticipate another injured list stint. Said manager Charlie Montoyo, “He felt it a little bit and we said, ’OK, there’s no sense with this hot weather and stuff to force you to hit another at-bat or run or something. So, let’s just stop right there.'”
  • Kohei Arihara received an injection in his right middle finger recently to help with some soreness around a callus, but he’s still likely to miss at least one start and potentially even land on the injured list, per MLB.com’s Daniel Guerrero. With Arihara set to miss time, Hyeon-jong Yang will move into the rotation. Yang has been good in two longer stints out of the pen, allowing just two earned runs in 8 2/3 innings. Yang was a starter in the KBO, though the 33-year-old is coming off a less-than-stellar year in which he racked up a 4.70 ERA in 172 1/3 innings over 31 starts for the Kia Tigers.
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