The Colorado Rockies are adding some depth to their starting rotation.
On Tuesday, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding reported that the NL West club and Japanese right-handed pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano have agreed to a one-year contract. ESPN’s Jeff Passan added that the deal guarantees the 36-year-old $5.1 million.
Sugano spent the 2025 season with the Baltimore Orioles, posting a 4.64 ERA with an American League high 33 home runs allowed. He struck out 106 batters in 157 innings. Sugano won three Central League MVPs in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball with the Yomiuri Giants.
Coors Field is unforgiving
Sugano’s tendency to permit homers may not improve at the high elevation of Coors Field in Denver. It is considered one of the more hitter-friendly Major League parks.
His pitch arsenal includes a four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter, sweeper, curveball, and splitter. Fifty of his 106 strikeouts in his rookie year came via the splitter.
Sugano will play for Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic before joining a Rockies rotation that includes Kyle Freeland, Michael Lorenzen, Chase Dollander, and Ryan Feltner.
More MLB news: