Dodgers Offseason: Giants Among Suitors for NPB Star Seiya Suzuki
One of the prizes of this offseason’s signing class is a somewhat unexpected addition to the pool. Japanese superstar Seiya Suzuki. The long-time Hiroshima Carp is coming off one of his finest seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. Moreover, after hitting .317 with a 1.069 OPS, 38 home runs, and 88 runs batted in last season, Suzuki is aiming to join Major League Baseball this winter.
The outfielder was posted by Hiroshima just before the MLB lockout, which put a pause in his 30 day posting window. More details on the posting system can be found here. Before the lockout, the Dodgers were among teams to have rumored interest in the 27-year-old, according to am570’s David Vassegh. Now, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Giants are also in the mix.
Hear multiple West Coast teams are also in on Suzuki, including Giants, Mariners and more. Multitalented OF predictably has big interest. https://t.co/elBPGKWbgC
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 15, 2021
Coming off of a Cinderella run where the clock just never struck midnight during the regular season, San Francisco lost several key pieces of its division winning club. With a clear need for a middle-of-the-order bat, Suzuki could help the Giants stay near or ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West. Where he makes sense with Los Angeles is adding another athletic outfielder to the mix, which could allow the team to explore some positional versatility with Cody Bellinger seeing time at first base and Max Muncy picking up innings at second base as well as acting as a sort of primary designated hitter. By all accounts, the universal DH is expected to be implemented for the 2022 season.
Beyond the Giants and Dodgers, the free-spending Texas Rangers are also in the mix for the NPB star, says Tim Kelly of Audacy Sports. The Yankees, Phillies, and Red Sox are also in play.
In 9 NPB seasons, Suzuki has 418 extra base hits with a lifetime batting average of .309.
Related: Dodgers ‘Interested’ in Seiya Suzuki! How LA Signing Japanese Superstar Would Impact CT3 & Pollock
Looking for more Dodgers News? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest news, updates, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
NEXT: Is Kyle Schwarber a Good Consolation Prize if LA Misses Out on Freddie Freeman?
now here is a Dodger Writer who makes the most sense…I wish the Hack who wrote that frsco is not going to spend any money would read this….
Merry Christmas to all my Dodger Brothers and Sisters…..
Merry Christmas to you and all Dodger fans as well. Giants will spend to defend their Division title.
Hey Paul, I remember you from way back when, when we were fighting, word wise, with frsco trolls and some Idiot from Cincy….Hope you are in good health…We got together a few times @ Dodger Stadium….had 12 of us, down from Oregon, so it was cool to put a face to the posts….
I remember you as well Kingman. The beginning of this site you were here along with Don Cato…..
This guy might be an idea to consider pretty seriously. Pollock is a free agent after 22. If we do sign an outfielder, let’s stay away from a “hit only” outfielder. It sounds like Suzuki is athletic. If we got for Schwarber, yeah we got pop; but we got pop out if the glove, too. We had a seriously good fielding outfield with Betts Belli and Pollock. And we have been fairly successful with Japanese baseball signings.
I would say the Dodgers along with the Vagiants are top suitors for any Asian players, they both have strong fan bases. Dodgers haven’t had too many guys lately but the Chan Ho Park’s, Nomo’s of Dodgers past were good Dodgers. Seems like we Only go after Pitchers though.
Hmm.auto spell got me on that last post
Ha, fat fingers get me when I text