Red Sox Could Target Japanese Star Koudai Senga To Bolster Ailing Rotation
Should the Boston Red Sox expand their search beyond Major League Baseball as they aim to bolster a pitching staff in need of reinforcements?
As per usual, there is expected to be a top free-agent target via the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Koudai Senga, who appears to go by Kodai but is listed as the former on all official rosters, is expected to make the jump to MLB after a fantastic season for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
With four games left on the regular-season schedule, Senga holds an 11-6 record, 1.94 ERA, 156-to-49 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a .200 batting average against in 144 innings across 22 games.
Senga's fastball reached 101.9 mph earlier this year, and sits in the mid-to-high 90s. Some call his devastating secondary pitch a splitter while others have coined the term "ghost fork" for its ridiculous drop-off and forkball grip.
The fastball/splitter combo makes Senga lethal, but he also can mix in a slider and cutter. Those pitches are not nearly as effective as his elite 1-2 punch but still serviceable.
The 29-year-old reportedly has wanted to join the MLB ranks for a while, but his team has an anti-posting policy. Fortunately, Senga has an opt-out of his contract this season and is expected to exercise it and then head overseas.
The Boston Red Sox desperately need pitching after finishing 2022 with a 4.49 ERA from their starting staff, No. 22 in MLB. They'll also lose Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha and Rich Hill via free agency and there is a very real possibility none of the trio return.
It's always difficult to predict international free-agent contracts but Senga could be a fantastic option to take a shot on if he turns out to be fairly affordable. The hard-throwing right-hander will gain plenty of buzz this winter and it would not be shocking if Boston was squarely in the mix for his services.
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