Ashleigh JamesThe Boston Red Sox are expected to make some notable changes this winter after hiring a new leader of baseball operations and resetting the luxury tax.
The hefty majority of those changes are presumed to be toward the pitching staff, with an emphasis on the starting rotation.
While names such as Aaron Nola, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery will echo throughout Boston as long as they remain unsigned, there are some interesting options to explore on the international market, and one more intriguing name has popped up.
“News from Japan: Right-handed pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters announced today his plans to move to Major League Baseball for the 2024 season via the posting process,” MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Saturday.
Uwasawa posted a 2.96 ERA with a 124-to-41 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.14 WHIP in 170 innings across 24 starts this season. The 29-year-old has a career 3.19 ERA and has been one of the most consistent pitchers in Japan over the span of nine years.
The Red Sox have long held a strong scouting presence in Japan and will exhaust all options to improve a rotation that has lagged behind for years. Uwasawa will be one of many names to pay attention to.
Ashleigh James
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