Tomoyuki Sugano’s time with the Baltimore Orioles didn’t last long.
One year after he left Japan to sign a $13 million contract with Baltimore, Sugano is headed to the Colorado Rockies in free agency.
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According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, Sugano reached agreement on a contract with the Rockies for the 2026 season. The terms of the deal have not been reported.
Sugano went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA in 2025, his first season in MLB after 12 seasons in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants.
It’s a surprising signing for a few reasons. Because they play in the most hitter-friendly ballpark in MLB, the Rockies aren’t typically linked to free agent pitchers. Nor are they often linked to Japanese-born players. Only three — Mac Suzuki, Masato Yoshii and Kazuo Matsui — have played for the franchise since its inaugural season in 1993.
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Sugano made 30 starts in 2025 for an Orioles team that struggled to get reliable innings from its rotation all season. However, Sugano averaged barely more than five innings per start, allowed an American League-leading 30 home runs, and outperformed his unsightly 5.36 FIP.
Other than having a full year to adjust to the MLB ball after spending his entire career in Japan, there’s little in Sugano’s early results to suggest he’s a good fit for Coors Field.
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More to come on this story from Newsweek Sports.