Shintaro Fujinami's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Free-agent right-hander Shintaro Fujinami signed a one-year, $3.35 million deal with the New York Mets on Friday that includes $850,000 in incentives. The Japanese hurler was a bust in his first year in the big leagues in 2023 after signing with the Oakland Athletics and was quickly banished to the bullpen after posting a 14.26 ERA in seven starts. The 29-year-old was eventually traded to the Baltimore Orioles and fared better in relief there, going 2-0 with a 4.85 ERA (4.13 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, two saves, 15 walks and 32 strikeouts in 29 2/3 frames. Fujinami consistently sits in the upper-90s with his fastball, but he struck out only 83 hitters in 79 total innings in his first taste of the majors last year and walked an alarming 5.1 batters per nine innings. The Mets will look to fix his control issues, and if they can, he could be a decent bullpen piece with strikeout upside.