The AL East arms race is on.
Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, the team announced on Monday.
Sugano, 35, has spent 12 seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball with a career 2.43 ERA over 281 games and 99 starts.
In 24 starts with the Yomiuri Giants last year, Sugano struck out 111 opponents while walking just 16 over 156.2 innings. He posted a 1.67 ERA.
An eight-time All-Star, Sugano pitched for Japan at the 2017 World Baseball Classic and allowed three hits in six innings in the semifinal against the United States.
Sugano marks the third major transaction for Baltimore this off-season after it also added Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill and veteran catcher Gary Sanchez.
The Orioles are aiming for a third straight playoff berth but face tough in-division competition with the reigning AL champion Yankees and up-and-coming Red Sox in addition to the Blue Jays and always-competitive Rays.
–with files from The Associated Press
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