The Oakland Athletics have agreed to terms with former Hanshin Tigers right-hander Shintaro Fujinami on a one-year contract for the 2023 season, the MLB club announced Friday.
The Athletics acquired the 28-year-old pitcher via the posting system and expect to use him as part of their rotation, according to local media reports.
Fujinami went 3-5 with a 3.38 ERA in 16 games for the Central League's Tigers last year. Over his 10 years with the western Japan club, he was 57-54 with a 3.41 ERA in 189 games.
The Osaka native will be in line to battle superstar compatriot Shohei Ohtani, whose Los Angeles Angels are in the American League West along with Oakland.
Fujinami, who has clocked 162 kilometers per hour with his fastest pitch, was considered Ohtani's pitching rival during high school and early in their professional careers.
