"Itoh turns 29 in August, and the righty has a 2.87 ERA, 21.73% strikeout rate, and 6.17% walk rate over 828 career innings with the Fighters from 2021-25. He is the reigning winner of the Sawamura Award, which is somewhat akin to the Cy Young Award except it is only given to a sole NPB pitcher."
"Big league pitching coaches might well be intrigued by delving into Itoh's seven-pitch arsenal, which is highlighted by a fastball that has hit 96mph. Castillo writes that Castillo's primary pitches amidst his seven offerings are the fastball, a splitter, and a sweeper."
"The Hanshin slugger just celebrated his 27th birthday yesterday, and is coming off a 2025 season that saw him hit .277/.345/.579 over 597 plate appearances while bopping a career-high 40 home runs. This huge year earned him Central League MVP honors, plus his fourth All-Star nod in his five NPB seasons."
Hiromi Itoh, a 29-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and Teruaki Sato, a 27-year-old third baseman/outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers, are anticipated to be posted into MLB's free agent market. Itoh boasts a 2.87 ERA, 21.73% strikeout rate, and 6.17% walk rate across 828 career innings, and is the reigning Sawamura Award winner. He features a seven-pitch arsenal highlighted by a 96-mph fastball. Sato recently won Central League MVP honors after hitting .277/.345/.579 with 40 home runs in 2025. Both players are members of Japan's World Baseball Classic team. While Itoh's modest strikeout rate and 5'9" height present concerns, evaluators praise his durability and control.
#mlb-free-agency #nippon-professional-baseball #international-player-posting #baseball-talent-evaluation
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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