Tomoyuki Sugano Explains Biggest Reason He Signed with Rockies

The Colorado Rockies snagged free agent Tomoyuki Sugano on a one-year deal and he explained why he chose the team.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies didn’t just land a veteran pitcher in Tomoyuki Sugano. They landed a Japanese icon.

He landed stateside last year. But, before he joined the Majors, he put together an incredible career with the NPB’s Yomiuri Giants, making himself a fan favorite in his home country.

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Now 35 years old, he’s on his second Major League team in two years. He joined the Rockies at spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Thursday for his first interview with the media since his signing was reported. His explained his reason for joining the Rockies as succinctly as one could.

“They were the ones who evaluated me the highest,” he said through an interpreter. “There’s still so much room for improvement. I thought, I want to play here.”

His comments were reported by multiple outlets, including by Masaya Kotani, who works for Sports Hochi, a Japanese sports daily.

Tomoyuki Sugano’s International Appeal

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Sugano left Japan before the 2025 season to chase the opportunity to play in the Majors after he established himself as one of the top pitchers in Japanese baseball history. He signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles. As a sign that there were no hard feelings about him leaving, his former team, the Yomiuri Giants, released a line of merchandise after his departure with the slogan “Tomo, You Can Do It!” through its web site.

In his career with the Giants, he went 136-74 with a 2.43 ERA and 1,585 strikeouts. He racked up an enormous list of accomplishments, including winning the Eiji Sawamura Award twice, which is the Japanese version of the Cy Young. He won the Japanese pitching triple crown, was named a three-time Gold Glove winner and a three-time Central League MVP.

He is also an eight-time All-Star, led the Central League in wins three times, ERA four times and strikeouts twice. He even pitched a no-hitter in the postseason. 

He was expected to be more of a fourth or fifth starter with the Orioles last season, but injuries forced him into a more prominent role earlier than expected. He ended up with a 10-10 record and a 4.64 ERA in 157 innings. He struck out 106 and walked 36 in 30 starts. Notably, he led the American League with 33 home runs allowed.

Sugano is part of a trio of veterans the Rockies have signed to bolster their rotation. Last month Colorado signed Michael Lorenzen, a former All-Star in Detroit. Earlier this week, the Rockies signed veteran left-hander Jose Quintana, who was last with the Milwaukee Brewers and has pitched for eight different teams over a 14-year career.

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