\n\n”, “providerName”: “Twitter”, “providerUrl”: “https://twitter.com”, “thumbnail_url”: null, “type”: “oembed”, “width”: 550, “contentType “: “rich”},{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: “Matsui posted a 2.40 ERA over 10 seasons in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Over the past three seasons, when he has transitioned to a one-inning relief role, he has posted a 1.42 mark with 214 strikeouts in 152 innings, making him one of the most dominant relief pitchers in the NPB.\n\nHe's obviously a great player,” AJ Preller said. , Padres general manager: “A track record of really consistent excellence.” “In the nine or 10 years he was in the bullpen, he was one of the best shutouts in the game. … It's three pitches — the fastball, the split, and the slider. He's been very consistent in terms of getting out, getting hits.”,””type”:text”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”* This is why Yuki Matsui's stuff baffles MLB hitters” “,”type”: “text”},{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: “**What will the Padres get?** Matsui is certainly unique, in his stature and his arsenal. Matsui, and he An undersized left-hander at just 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, he misses bats thanks to his extra splitter. He pairs it with a high-spin fastball that hits 92-94 mph and has a top velocity of 96 mph. Matsui also offers a slider as an offering Third.\n\nThis combination helped Matsui strike out 32.4% of the batters he faced last season. However, one point of concern may be Matsui's penchant for walks. Even with his strong 5.9% walk rate in 2023, his career mark is 10.9%. (For reference, the average walk rate for MLB players last season was 8.3%.)\n\nHowever, Matsui has been as dominant as any Japanese player for most of the past decade. Omitting his debut season as an 18-year-old , which only had 17 starts for Matsui, and his career ERA drops to 2.10. The 28-year-old Matsui has been a multi-inning pitcher for most of his NFL career, but has served as a one-hit pitching arm over the past three seasons.”,”type”:text”},{” __typename “OEmbed”,”html “: “
Matsui magic 🪄 pic.twitter.com/aXehw38fro
-San Diego Padres (@Padres) December 23, 2023
\n\n\n”, “providerName”: “Twitter”, “providerUrl”: “https://twitter.com”, “thumbnail_url”: null, “type”: “oembed”, “width”: 550, “contentType”: “rich”},{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: “**Where does Matsui fit in? ** It's hard to say at this point, considering it's almost certain the Padres will add more pitching. But he's at least a candidate for a high-impact role.\n\n”Somewhere in the back of the game,” Preller said when asked about Matsui's fitness. “We'll see how the pen unfolds and what other options emerge this season.” “But he's a guy who can throw anywhere late in the game… a guy who shakes hands at the end of games as a closer.”\n\nWhen Josh Hader hit free agency, right-hander Robert Suarez was the internal favorite to fill the void. Closest vacancy. He and Matsui are now considered the most likely candidates for the job, with Preller noting that there was “nothing promised.” Other late-half options include Tom Cosgrove and Steven Wilson.\n\nPerhaps most notably, the addition of Matsui balances San Diego's bullpen in a big way. With the departures of Hader, Tim Hill, Ray Kerr and Drew Pomeranz, Cosgrove is the only reliable left-handed option in San Diego's bullpen. “programming language”:”
Yuki in numbers 💪 pic.twitter.com/y2ziUdqIny
-San Diego Padres (@Padres) December 24, 2023
\n\n\n”, “providerName”: “Twitter”, “providerUrl”: “https://twitter.com”, “thumbnail_url”: null, “type”: “oembed”, “width”: 550, “contentType”: “rich”},{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: “**Where does the Padres Airport stand? **\nIncomplete, still. With the addition of Matsui, the Padres have a foundation consisting of Suarez, Matsui, Cosgrove, Wilson and Eniel de los Santos, who arrived from Cleveland in the Scott Barlow trade. They have other options that can compete for the second spot. -3 spots, including swing men Johnny Brito and Randy Vasquez, who arrived in the Soto deal.\n\nBut the bullpen is fickle. For all the success Cosgrove, Wilson and De Los Santos had last season, the Padres would be wise to continue adding to their setup mix.”,”type”:text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,” contentDate” “”:”2023-12-13T19:04:30.132Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:”:https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb .com/FORGE /2023/2023-12/13/5436d320-af1b3f97-6b93fc4c-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:video”,”description”:Lee 'Hacksaw' Hamilton joins High Heat to solve the problems he will look forward to San Diego Padres to fix it before 2024 season”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:07:40″,”slug”:”lee-hamilton-on-padres-offseason”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-135″,”title”:”San Diego Padres”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:135″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-network”,”title”:”MLB Network”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlbn-high-heat”,”title”:”MLBN High Heat”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”interview”,”title”:”interview”,”type”:”taxonomy”}]”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: “https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/bk5zhjhtngavqdo05ott”},”title” : “Lee Hamilton on Padres offseason”,”relativeSiteUrl”: “/video/lee-hamilton-on-padres-offseason”},{“__typename”: “Markdown”,”content”:”**What's next?* * Yes, the Padres could use another reliever (or two). But the addition of Matsui arguably refocuses them on the rotation.\nOverall, their most obvious needs remain in the outfield. With Soto and Trent Grisham to New York, Fernando Tatis Jr. He is the only player returning, Jose Azucar is the favorite for a bench spot, and No. 13 Jacob Marci, the Arizona Fall League MVP, could also compete for playing time.\n\nBut the Padres' main goal this offseason is to get Outfielder – Ideally, a left-handed player who can break up the right-handed top half of the lineup.”,,”type”:text”},{“__typename” :”Video”, “contentDate”: “2023-11-11T14: 43:56.132Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:”:https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-11/09 /a299df65-dab4f11c-85ec238c-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Padres prospect Jacob Marcy discusses his experience performing during the Arizona Fall League, playing alongside great teammates and more , “displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”: “00:01:33″,”slug”: “jakob-marsee-on-fall-league”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”interview”,”title”:”interview”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-top-prospects”,”title”:”MLB Top Prospects”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”arizona-fall-league”,”title”:”Arizona Fall League”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-805300″,”title”:”Jakob Marsee”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:805300″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-135″,”title”:”San Diego Padres”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:135″},”type”:”team”}]”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: “https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/qvbkiravikpa1rpblhs1″},”title” : “Jakob Marsee on Fall League”, “relativeSiteUrl”: “/video/jakob-marsee-on-fall-league”}]”relativeSiteUrl”: “/news/yuki-matsui-japanese-reliever-signs-with-Padres “, “contentType”: “news”, “subHeadline”: null, summary “summary”: The Padres have spent their offseason searching for help, and they arrived on Friday, making left fielder Yuki Matsui his first major leaguer. He's a free agent signing for the winter.\nThe deal is expected to be worth up to $28 million and includes an opt-out after 2026 and 2027, plus injury”,”tagline({\”formatString\”:\”none\”} ) “:null,”Tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-135″,”title”:”San Diego Padres”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:135″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”transactions”,”title”:”transactions”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”aj-cassavell”,”title”:”AJ Cassavell”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”}]”type”: “story”, “thumbnail”: “https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/ox7hycno2gcg3eezx0hv”, “title”: “Yuki Matsui, Japanese” . Reliever, signs with Padres”}},”Team:135″:{“__typename”:Team”,”id”:135},”Person:805300″:{“__typename”: “Person”,”id”:805300 }}} window.adobeAnalytics = {“reportingSuiteId”:mlbglobal08,mlbcom08″linkInternalFilters”:”mlb”} window.globalState = {“tracking_title”: “Major League Baseball”, “lang”: “en”} window.appId = '' /*–>*/
44 minutes ago
The deal is expected to be worth $28 million and includes an opt-out after 2026 and 2027, as well as an injury clause that could turn the fifth year of the contract into a club option, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
Matsui posted a 2.40 ERA over 10 seasons in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Over the past three seasons, when he has transitioned to a single-relief role, he has posted a 1.42 mark with 214 strikeouts in 152 innings, making him one of the most dominant relief pitchers in the NPB.
“It's obviously a track record of really consistent excellence,” Padres general manager AJ Preller said. “In the nine or 10 years he's been in the bullpen, he's been one of the best shutouts in the game. … It's three pitches — the fastball, the split, the slider. He's been very consistent as far as getting out, getting strikeouts.”
What will the Padres get?
Matsui is certainly unique, both in his stature and his arsenal. Matsui, an undersized left-hander who stands just 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, misses bats thanks to his extra splitter. He pairs it with a high-spin fastball that ranges between 92-94 mph and tops out at 96 mph. Matsui also offers a slider as a third view.
This combination helped Matsui hit 32.4% of the batters he faced last season. However, one point of concern might be Matsui's penchant for walking. Even with his solid 5.9% walk rate in 2023, his career mark stands at 10.9%. (For reference, the average walk rate for MLB players last season was 8.3%).
However, Matsui has been as dominant as any Japanese company for most of the past decade. Delete his debut season as an 18-year-old, which contained just 17 starts for Matsui, and his career ERA drops to 2.10. The 28-year-old Matsui has been a multi-inning pitcher for most of his NFL career, but has served as a one-inning pitching arm over the past three seasons.
Where does Matsui fit in?
It's hard to say at this point, considering the Padres are almost certain to add more pitching. But at least he's waiting for a high-powered role.
“Somewhere at the back of the game,” Preller said when asked about Matsui's fitness. “We'll see how the pen unfolds and what other options emerge this season.” “But he's a guy who can throw anywhere late in the game…a guy who shakes hands at the end of games as a closer.”
When Josh Hader hit free agency, right-hander Robert Suarez was the internal favorite to fill the vacant closer position. He and Matsui are now considered the most likely candidates for the job, with Preller noting that there was “nothing promised.” Other late half options include Tom Cosgrove and Steven Wilson.
Perhaps most notably, the addition of Matsui significantly balances San Diego's bullpen. With the departures of Hader, Tim Hill, Ray Kerr and Drew Pomeranz, Cosgrove was the only reliable left-handed option in San Diego.
They have other options that could compete for the final 2-3 spots, including swing players Johnny Brito and Randy Vasquez, who arrived in the Soto deal.
But bulls are fickle. Despite the success Cosgrove, Wilson and De Los Santos had last season, the Padres would be wise to continue adding more to their pitching mix.
What then?
Yes, the Padres could use another reliever (or two). But the addition of Matsui arguably returns their focus to the rotation.
On the whole, however, their most obvious needs remain on the field. With Soto and Trent Grisham traveling to New York, Fernando Tatis Jr. is the only returning player. Jose Azucar is the favorite for a spot on the bench, and No. 13 prospect Jacob Marci, the Arizona Fall League's reigning MVP, could also compete for playing time.
But the Padres' main goal this offseason should be to acquire an outfielder — ideally, a lefty who can break up the top half of a right-heavy lineup.
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