MLB rumors: Yankees ‘expected’ to be in on star Japanese outfielder

The New York Yankees are reportedly among the many teams expected to be "in' on Seiya Suzuki.
  • 469 shares

The Yankees are among several teams “expected” to be in the bidding for Japanese star outfielder Seiya Suzuki, according to a report from The Athletic’s Andrew Baggerly.

From the report: “The Seattle Mariners are known to be among the 10-to-12 clubs that pitched their organizations to him over Zoom. So did the San Francisco Giants, who are coming off a 107-win season and have an acute need for a right-handed hitting outfielder. (“The Seiya Hey Kid”?) The Red Sox are known to have strong scouting links to Suzuki, and in an interview with a Japanese TV station earlier this month, former Boston pitcher Koji Uehara tried to squeeze an admission out of him that he was bound for Fenway Park. The Dodgers, Padres, Yankees, Rays and Blue Jays also are expected to be in the mix.

MLB Trade Rumors projects that Suzuki will get a deal worth $55 million over five years.

The 27-year-old outfielder hit .309 with 189 homers, 621 RBI and a .943 OPS in 1,055 games in Nippon Professional Baseball. Suzuki was a five-time winner of the NPB’s version of the Gold Glove award, and was a five-time all-star. In 2021, he hit .317 with 38 homers, 88 RBI and a 1.069 OPS.

According to the report, Suzuki refused to give any hints as to his free agency preferences.

The Yankees could be in the market for center field help. The problem: Suzuki has primarily played right field, though some believe he has the athleticism to play center.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said at the GM Meetings that the team could look to upgrade at center field. Aaron Hicks has four years and $40 million remaining on his contract, but has been mostly a disappointment, struggling with injuries and inconsistency. He played winter ball in the Dominican Republic and appeared healthy, however.

Please subscribe to us now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

X

Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information

If you opt out, we won’t sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously.