Shun

Yamaguchi

Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reported Wednesday that Yamaguchi was headed back to his native Japan, and now that news has been confirmed. The 33-year-old right-hander had struggled to a 6.17 ERA and 25/14 K/BB ratio in 23 1/3 innings (four starts, one relief appearance) this season with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento. He signed a two-year, $6.35 million deal with the Blue Jays in December 2019.

Yamaguchi struggled mightily with the Blue Jays in 2020 and then inked a minor league contract with the Giants this past February. The 33-year-old right-hander had posted a rough 6.17 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 25/14 K/BB ratio through 23 1/3 innings (four starts, one relief appearance) this season at Triple-A Sacramento.

Yamaguchi started a good number of games during his time in Japan, but all 17 of his appearances with the Blue Jays last season came as a reliever. The Giants took a minor league flier on him earlier this week after the Jays cut him loose a week earlier. Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic says that Yamaguchi’s contract allows him to opt out if he doesn’t make the club out of spring training.

It’s official. Yamaguchi agreed to terms with the Giants shortly after being released by the Blue Jays earlier this week. Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic notes that the Blue Jays are still on the hook for his $3.175 million guaranteed salary this season and he’ll make the prorated major-league minimum if he’s added to the Giants’ roster this season. The 33-year-old righty registered a bloated 8.06 ERA, 1.75 WHIP and 26/17 K/BB ratio across 25 2/3 innings in his stateside debut last year. He’ll compete for a spot on the Giants’ Opening Day roster this spring.

No word on the particulars yet, but Slusser believes that it will be a split contract. The Blue Jays released the 33-year-old hurler just a year after signing him to a two-year, $6.35 million contract. While he was disastrous in his 25 2/3 innings with the Blue Jays in 2020, Yamaguchi put up a 2.91 ERA and 188/60 K/BB ratio over 170 innings in 2019 for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. With the Jays still on the hook for most of his salary, he makes for an intriguing addition to the Giants’ pitching staff.

The 33-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment earlier in the week to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for Joel Payamps. Yamaguchi joined the Jays on a two-year, $6.35 million deal prior to the 2020 season, but posted a miserable 8.06 ERA, 1.753 WHIP, and 26/17 K/BB ratio over his first 25 2/3 major league innings. It’s no surprise that he cleared waivers, as he’s due $3.175 million in 2021. Now that he’s a free agent though -- with the Jays still paying his salary -- he shouldn’t have difficulty landing on his feet elsewhere for the big league minimum.

This is presumably in relation to the waiver claim of Joel Payamps on Wednesday night. Yamaguchi left Japan last offseason to join the Jays on a two-year, $6.35 million deal but then struggled to an 8.06 ERA, 1.753 WHIP, and 26/17 K/BB ratio over his first 25 2/3 major league innings during the condensed 2020 campaign. The 33-year-old is due $3.175 million in 2021, so he probably won’t draw much interest from other teams.

The unearned run came because the runner who opened up on second base came around to score. Yamaguchi was talked about as a closer option for the Blue Jays with Ken Giles out, but it looks like Anthony Bass is going to hold down that role. Yamaguchi has retired just three of the nine batters he’s faced in his first two outings.

Anderson suffered an oblique strain over the weekend at summer camp in Toronto and will likely be sidelined for at least the next month. The 32-year-old right-hander had been ticketed for a spot high in the Blue Jays’ starting rotation after being acquired from the Brewers this winter. Ryan Borucki, Nate Pearson, Anthony Kay, Thomas Hatch, and Shun Yamaguchi are all candidates to fill the sudden rotation vacancy.

Yamaguchi has a 12.00 ERA in his three spring outings. He’s competing for the fifth spot in Toronto’s rotation, but he was likely already an underdog to Trent Thornton coming in. At this point, one wonders if he’d even get the spot were someone to get hurt.