As of Monday, Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki was dispatched and made available to sign with major league baseball teams.
Seiya Suzuki, a 27-year-old outfielder, now has 30 days to sign a contract. If no agreement can be reached, he can only sign in the MLB in the next season. But many expect this off-season to be the right moment for him. Most notably the best 38 career homers and 1,079 OPS over 131 games in the 2021 season with Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
Suzuki began taking the stage in the United States while representing Japan in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Not to mention he also won the 2019 Central League title, five-time All-Star, and three-time Gold Glove winner. Basically he can do anything. As a right-handed man who can hit the ball with precision in both average and power, teams will be flocking to sign this rising star.
So far, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi says the Texas Rangers and New York Mets are some of the top teams Suzuki could pursue during this period.
As there will be a lot of potential applicants, we are considering five of the best possible travel destinations for him.
Texas Rangers
A desperate team in desperate need of a star. In particular, they have a tremendous need for right-handed strength. The Rangers have a history of signing Japanese players (Yu Darvish and Kohei Arihara), but there’s always this hesitation. But the Rangers need attack and, above all, strength.
Last season, the Rangers finished 26th in home runs and hits, while they finished 28th in RBI. The Rangers all-star Adolis García is currently in midfield, but they need help in the corner outside field. Suzuki immediately met a huge need for the Rangers while bringing some excitement back to the Globe Life Field.
New York Mets
The Mets did not come close to meeting expectations for the 2021 season. Actually, ESPN forecast the Mets to finish with a 91-71 record. So much was being pushed into Noah Syndergaard’s health, and the thought that Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto, and Dom Smith would be enough support for Jacob deGrom.
Basically, the rotation couldn’t stay healthy, and the team lacked the strength on the plate. With that, the Mets finished with a 77-85 record. Two combinations that can quickly lead to disaster for a baseball team. Similar to the Rangers, the Mets finished 25th in the home runs and 27th in the RBI.
The outfield is an extreme weakness for the Mets and Suzuki would suit them perfectly. It puts pressure on Suzuki to play in New York, but with his potential – if anyone is up to the challenge, it’s him.
Miami Marlins
I’m really surprised that this team wasn’t raised to chase Suzuki.
Overall, they’re a better team than the Rangers right now. As the youngest team in all of baseball, they could use someone with a little experience playing professionally at a high level. It may not have been in the States, but he played and proved he’s a winner, be it at the Olympics or the NPB.
Currently the Marlins outfielder are Jesús Sánchez, Bryan De La Cruz and Lewis Brinson. Together they ended the 2021 season with 28 home runs. Even if they may be high quality prospects for the future, they likely won’t face the threat on the record like Suzuki will. As a team, the Marlins finished 28th in home runs and 29th in the RBI. With financial flexibility, you won’t sleep on the marlins when it comes to sneaking into the Suzuki sweepstakes.
Seattle Mariners
Personally, I’m not sure whether this is a perfect fit or not, but it at least makes sense. Before you roll your eyes – no, that’s not because his name is Suzuki.
In fact, that’s one of the reasons I have some doubts. Can you imagine the pressures he is likely to face? Who knows, that could also motivate him to continue a legacy in Seattle.
While the 2021 season was an unprecedented success for the Mariners, they still missed the postseason. Her pitching was her strength and took 16th place in the ERA team Kyle Seager and Mitch Haniger Had an adequate season, the Mariners could use some pop on the plate. They still ranked last in the hits and 21st on the RBI. The addition of Suzuki likely not only brings them into the postseason, but they’re an immediate threat in the American League.
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves have just won the World Series – what’s next? They want to keep this train going and have every chance of founding a dynasty.
One of the players Suzuki draws the most comparisons to is current Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Why not have two of them? No offense to the left field player Adam Duvallbut being a few years younger and having Suzuki up more is an upgrade. If they aren’t already favorites for the 2022 season, signing Suzuki would definitely do just that.
It could be days, it could be weeks, but I believe Suzuki will sign with an MLB team this off-season. Too many teams could use his power on the plate. However, whoever signs it is going to need a considerable amount of money. ESPNs Kiley McDaniel predicts a potential contract for Suzuki of approximately 4 years worth $ 48 million. Not to mention that anyone who signs Suzuki also has to pay a postage fee to the Carp. Regardless, it will be very exciting to see where he lands.
