As the San Diego Padres look to retool their roster following their trade of outfielder Juan Soto and impending free agency loss of 2023 NL Cy Young Blake Snell, help may be coming from across the Pacific.
San Diego is reportedly close to a deal with Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles reliever Yuki Matsuki.
The news was first reported by Yuki Yamada of Sankei Sports and confirmed by MLB’s Mark Feinsand.
#松井裕樹 投手(楽天から海外FA)は #パドレス と合意。身体検査をクリアすれば正式契約へ。
Yuki #Matsui, a left-handed reliever from the Rakuten Golden Eagles in the NPB, is close to signing with the #Padres, pending physical. Sources confirmed to Sankei Sports. pic.twitter.com/SoxLcCP5G1— 山田結軌⚾️ｻﾝｽﾎﾟMLB記者🇺🇸野球大好き😍 (@YamadaSANSPO) December 19, 2023
Left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui is close to signing a deal with a Padres, per source. @YamadaSANSPO was on it.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 19, 2023
Matsui has been one of the best relievers in the NPB over the past few seasons. He was named an All-Star five times: 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022. He also led the Pacific League in saves in 2019, 2022, and 2023, when he saved a career-high 39 games for the Golden Eagles. His 236 career saves place him seventh in NPB history, and he is just one of eight players to save more than 200 games in the league.
The 28-year-old lefthanded reliever first made a name for himself back in 2012 when he struck out a record 22 batters in one game.
Matsui is one of a handful of players from the NPB who are looking to join MLB this season, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, considered the best player still on the market, and fellow lefthanded pitcher Shota Imanaga.
Matsui throws a fastball, splitfinger, and slider, a three-pitch arsenal that should find him plenty of success in Major League Baseball.
[Yuki Yamada] [Mark Feinsand] [Chicago Tribune]
