February 2, 2024
Free-agent right-hander
Shintaro Fujinami signed a one-year, $3.35 million deal with the New York Mets on Friday that includes $850,000 in incentives. The Japanese hurler was a bust in his first year in the big leagues in 2023 after signing with the Oakland Athletics and was quickly banished to the bullpen after posting a 14.26 ERA in seven starts. The 29-year-old was eventually traded to the Baltimore Orioles and fared better in relief there, going 2-0 with a 4.85 ERA (4.13 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, two saves, 15 walks and 32 strikeouts in 29 2/3 frames. Fujinami consistently sits in the upper-90s with his fastball, but he struck out only 83 hitters in 79 total innings in his first taste of the majors last year and walked an alarming 5.1 batters per nine innings. The Mets will look to fix his control issues, and if they can, he could be a decent bullpen piece with strikeout upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
September 6, 2023
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Shintaro Fujinami picked up his second save of the season on Tuesday, closing out the 5-4 10-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels. The 29-year-old went one inning, allowing no baserunners and striking out a pair. Fujinami has had a rough first season in the Majors, sporting a 7.42 ERA and 1.49 WHIP with a 24.3% strikeout across 54 games, including seven starts. The Orioles are without
Felix Bautista (elbow), possibly for the rest of the season, but the cub has
Yennier Cano to fill in as closer. Fantasy managers can leave Fujinami on the waiver wire with the lack of production in all areas.
--Spencer SeguinSource: MLB.com
July 19, 2023
The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring rookie right-hander
Shintaro Fujinami from the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. It's unknown what the Orioles sent to the A's in return. In his first year in the big leagues, the 29-year-old Japanese right-hander didn't last long as a starter for the A's and was quickly moved to the bullpen. He's made seven starts, but three of those were as an opener, and he has a hideous 8.57 ERA (4.94 FIP), 1.66 WHIP, 30 walks and 51 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings over 34 appearances. Fujinami has been much better since June, though, posting a 3.26 ERA, six walks and 20 K's in 19 1/3 innings. It's unclear if the O's have plans to return him to a starting role eventually, but he's likely to work in middle relief initially. The strikeout upside is intriguing.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Heyman
May 8, 2023
Oakland Athletics right-hander
Shintaro Fujinami continued to struggle in an appearance out of the bullpen in Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals. Fujinami allowed three runs on four hits while walking and striking out none in 1 1/3 innings of work. It has been a nightmare for the 29-year-old Japanese hurler in the beginning to his major-league career, as he was already demoted to the bullpen after struggling mightily in his first four starts. He now owns a cringe-inducing 13.94 ERA (6.69 FIP), 2.23 WHIP, 19 walks and 18 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings over nine outings (four starts) for Oakland. This isn't what the A's envisioned when they signed him this offseason. Fujinami will have to get the walks under control if he wants to turn things around in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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