Report: Tomoyuki Sugano to Return to NPB After Failing to Agree to MLB Contract

Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano will return to Nippon Professional Baseball after failing to reach a deal with an MLB team before his posting window expired Thursday, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Sugano agreed to a four-year, $40 million contract with the Yomiuri Giants, a deal that includes three opt-outs. Passan noted Sugano will be eligible to become an MLB free agent before the 2022 season.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Sugano had been in negotiations with the San Diego Padres. They were not the only team pursuing Sugano, however. Per Passan, the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays were all linked to the Japanese star.

The 31-year-old went 14-2 for the Giants in the 2020 season, finishing with a 1.97 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 137.1 innings. He pitched three complete games and posted three shutouts, finishing second in the Eiji Sawamura Award balloting—the NPB's version of the Cy Young Award—while living up to his reputation as one of the best starters in Japan. 

Sugano, who has already won two Sawamura Awards, had been expected to make an immediate impact had he signed with an MLB team. Passan reported in mid-December that "as good as Sugano has been in Japan, one scout said that his competitiveness will translate even better in MLB and that his five-pitch mix has a chance to make him at least a No. 3 starter."

Jason Coskrey of the Japan Times provided the following scouting report for Baseball America:

"(His) slider is perhaps the best in Japan and he can control it to both sides of the plate. It's a devastating offering when he buries it inside against left-handed hitters. Sugano's velocity was slightly up in 2020 and he also induced more swinging strikes. He upped his splitter usage and also threw a cutter, curveball and shuuto. His control was as strong as ever."

Although there had been hype surrounding Sugano this offseason, he will have to wait to jump to Major League Baseball.