Right-hander has signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, the team announced Monday night, bringing one of Japan’s most accomplished pitchers to a team seeking rotation depth. Sources shared the contract details with ESPN.
Sugano, 35, is a two-time recipient of the Sawamura Award—Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award—and was nearly posted to Major League Baseball by the Yomiuri Giants in December 2020. Instead, he returned to the Giants, delivering a performance this year reminiscent of his stellar 2017 and 2018 seasons.
This season, Sugano made 24 starts, compiling a 15-3 record with a 1.67 ERA. Across 156 2/3 innings, he struck out 111 batters, walked only 16, and surrendered six home runs. While his fastball averages 92 mph, Sugano relies heavily on off-speed pitches, including a slider, cutter, curveball, and split-fingered fastball, which made up nearly two-thirds of his arsenal in 2024.
The Orioles, coming off consecutive postseason berths, have been active in the free-agent market, aiming to bolster a rotation impacted by Corbin Burnes’ free agency and elbow surgeries for right-handers Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells. Their 2025 rotation now features Sugano alongside Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, and Dean Kremer.
Although the Orioles continue pursuing a deal to re-sign Burnes, sources say the price could exceed Chris Davis’ $161 million contract, the largest in team history. The franchise, purchased by private equity mogul David Rubenstein in August, is poised to increase spending after years of ranking among MLB’s lowest payrolls.
With Sugano’s addition and Tyler O’Neill’s three-year, $49.5 million contract, Baltimore’s 2025 payroll is projected to reach $110 million. The pitching market has been active early in free agency, with deals ranging from Max Fried’s $218 million contract to Alex Cobb’s $15 million one-year agreement.
Sugano, entering his 13th season, will pitch in a remodeled Camden Yards, where the left-field wall will be moved as much as 20 feet closer, making the ballpark less favorable for pitchers. However, as a groundball specialist—51.1% of his outs came via ground balls this season—Sugano’s skillset could mitigate the park’s new dimensions.
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