The Tigers have finally made a couple of moves this offseason that could have an impact on the team’s chances of competing next season. Despite a last place finish in 2018, the team seemingly watched in silence as their chief rivals, the Yomiuri Giants, went on a shopping spree that showed how serious they are about taking over the Central League again in 2019. They signed no fewer than 5 key free agents in the span of a month: catcher Ginjiro Sumitani (Lions), infielder Christian Villanueva (MLB), outfielder Yoshihiro Maru (Carp), pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma (MLB) and infielder Hideyuki Nakajima (Buffaloes). In fact, Villanueva was initially reported as having signed with the Tigers.
In any case, the Tigers announced the signing of free agent pitcher Yuki Nishi (Orix Buffaloes) earlier this week. The 28-year old has been a steady part of Orix’s rotation for much of his 10-year career, and was even Opening Day starter in 2018.
Here is a portion of the interview he did after his signing was announced (original article in Japanese here):
You’ve gotten through the negotiation process…
Yes, it took awhile before I felt ready to sign a contract, but this is all the result of me thinking things through really hard, so I feel relieved now.
Surely you had a lot going on in your mind in the month or so since you declared your free agency. What was the deciding factor?
The biggest thing was that I didn’t want to change my living environment. I agonized over the decision, but the result is that I am here today.
The Tigers are looking to bounce back from a last place finish. How do you hope to contribute?
I think for me personally, the most important thing is playing the whole season without getting hurt. From spring training onwards, just staying in good shape and throwing as many innings as I can is key. I just want to help the team win games.
The Tigers’ passionate fans have been waiting for this moment for awhile.
I’m sure a lot of those fans will be at the stadium cheering us on, and I hope to be part of some of those wins. I look forward to being backed by these fans this coming season.
You agonized over this decision a little?
I feel nothing but relief now. It took me awhile to reach a final decision, and I had a lot of uncertainty about a lot of things. But now that I’ve decided, I have peace of mind, and I am ready to start practicing from tomorrow.
What was the timing of your decision?
It took until recently. I talked to a bunch of people, thought a lot – I haven’t thought so much about anything in my life. A lot of people’s encouraging words are what got me to where I am now.
Manager Yano says he hopes you compete for Opening Day pitcher next year. Are you up for the challenge?
I’ll definitely give it some thought.
In other great news, the Tigers have finally made their signing of Pierce Johnson official as well. The 27-year old righty played for the San Francisco Giants in 2018, but says he is very excited about joining the Tigers. Here’s the story as originally reported in Daily Sports.
Hanshin announced on the 8th that it reached an agreement with Pierce Johnson for the 2019 season.
Johnson recorded nine saves in 2017 at the AAA level. This season he appeared in 37 games in the majors, going 3-2. He is expected to hold down a position in the bullpen, and manager Yano has even listed him as a candidate for the closer role. He was teammates with former Hanshin Tigers outfielder Matt Murton while with the Cubs.
Via a club representative, Johnson commented, “It is an honor to be able to join a team like the Tigers. I heard all about how great Japanese baseball is from Murton when I was with the Cubs, and wanted to experience it for myself, so I’m really glad to have this chance. I can’t wait for the season to start! I’m excited to get to spring training and prepare for the upcoming year. I’m ready to give it my all this coming season. Go Tigers!”