Red Sox Interested In Japanese Star With 101 MPH Fastball To Bolster Rotation
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The Boston Red Sox already signed the top-earning Japanese player on the market, and might not be done shopping in the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
While many were focused on linking Japanese ace Kodai Senga to the Red Sox, it appears that there is another NPB pitcher the team has interest in adding to the organization.
MLB Trade Rumors' Anthony Franco listed the Red Sox among three suitors in the mix for 28-year-old right-hander Shintaro Fujinami. Franco noted that the Arizona Diamondbacks appear to be the favorite and that the San Francisco Giants are in the mix as well.
Fujinami's most notable asset is his fastball, which has reached 101 mph. The only other NPB player to hit that mileage was Shohei Ohtani -- who happened to be a high school rival of his (back then they were held in a similar regard). Fujinami also throws a slider and splitter.
The 6-foot-6, 180-pound flamethrower went 3-5 with a 3.38 ERA and 65-to-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 66 2/3 innings across 16 starts.
While his 7.6% walk rate and only three hit batters last season are very mild, he has a history of being on the wild side.
Over the course of Fujinami's 10-year career, he's walked 10.6% of batters and plunked 55 batters in his career. While there are some seasons with some inflated numbers -- 82 walks in 2015, 70 in 2016 -- that narrative appears to be overblown.
Last season's walk rate for Fujinami was exactly league average for a Major League Baseball player and his career rate is slightly below.
High walk-rate players are scary investments, but Fujinami does have high potential, elite stuff and a sustainable frame for success. He might thrive more in a bullpen role, but his stuff appears to be capable of playing well at the MLB level.
The righty does not project well in the Red Sox's Opening Day rotation, but he'd be an intriguing arm to add.
Fujinami has until Jan. 15 to sign with an MLB team.
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