Report: Padres, LHP Matsui agree to five-year, $28M contract
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The San Diego Padres and pitcher Yuki Matsui are in agreement on a five-year, $28 million contract, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Passan reports the deal includes opt-outs after the third and fourth years as well as an injury clause that can convert the fifth year into a club option.
Matsui, 28, pitched to a 1.57 earned runs average in 59 games out of the bullpen for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in 2023.
Matsui made his professional debut in 2014 at the age of 18, and has served as a bullpen arm for most of his professional career.
He features a fastball that hovers in the low-90s, but dodges concerns over his velocity with an above-average slider and forkball in his repertoire.
Matsui pitched a scoreless inning for Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic in March, but reportedly struggled to adjust to the MLB ball while pitching in the tournament.
In 517 career NPB games, the Yokohama, Japan native has a 2.43 ERA with 941 strikeouts in 704.0 innings pitched.