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Former San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians Slugger to Stay in Japan For 2025 Season

Could the slugger want to return back to the U.S. at some point though?
Brady Farkas|
Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Franmil Reyes (32) advances to second base on Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) (not pictured) single against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at Fenway Park in 2022.
Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Franmil Reyes (32) advances to second base on Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) (not pictured) single against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at Fenway Park in 2022. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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Cleveland GuardiansSan Diego Padres

According to a report from MLBTradeRumors, former San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians slugger Franmil Reyes has signed a one-year deal to return back to Japan for the 2025 season.

After a strong first season in Nippon Professional Baseball, Franmil Reyes is planning an encore, as the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters announced that the slugger has signed a new contract with the team for the 2025 season.  Japanese media reports from last weekend suggested that Reyes was likely to stay with the Fighters and the club was prepared to offer him a multi-year contract, but he’ll instead return on a one-year deal.

The 29-year-old slugger spent parts six seasons in the major leagues with the Padres, Guardians, Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs. He's a .249 hitter in the U.S. who also has 108 career home runs. Known for his prodigious power, he hit 37 homers in the 2019 season and 30 more in 2021.

In Japan this past season, he hit .290 over 103 games with 25 home runs. Because of his age and this deal being just a one-year pact, there's certainly a chance that Reyes could come back to the United States in the future. Though they are both pitchers, we've seen Chris Flexen and Erick Fedde both go to Asia (KBO) and then return back to the United States to find some levels of success in the majors again.

We will have to see what transpires for Reyes in his second season in the NPB, but he figures to be one of the best power hitters in the league once more.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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