Yoshitomo Tsutsugo latest Japanese slugger to be posted

The Yokohama DeNA BayStars announced their intention to post dynamic slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo this offseason.

The Major League Baseball Hot Stove season is still several weeks away. The postseason is only just starting to get underway, and it is a long way until free agency. Despite that time, an intriguing name has been added to the list of free agents that will be available in the coming months.

On Monday, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars announced that they will be posting star outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, making him available to all 30 teams. Those teams will have a 30 day window to negotiate a contract with the slugger.

By making this decision, Tsutsugo will become the first player in team history to be posted. However, he has long expressed a desire to play in the majors, and has been on the major league radar before. As he indicated that he planned to pursue that dream, it seemed inevitable that Tsutsugo would be posted.

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The 2019 campaign was a bit of a down season for Tsutsugo. He still had a strong year, producing a .272/.388/.511 batting line, with 24 doubles and 29 homers. His .899 OPS, while still a strong number, was his lowest since becoming a full time player for the BayStars.

Even that down year does not change his profile. Tsutsugo has belted 185 homers since the start of 2014, while showing excellent contact skills and a solid batting eye. Even with his tremendous power, he has displayed incredible contact skills in Japan, which could lead teams to hope that Tsutsugo can be a middle of the lineup bat in the majors.

However, there are concerns about how he will translate to the majors. While the power should remain, there are concerns that Tsutsugo will be a Three True Outcome slugger stateside in the Adam Dunn or good Chris Davis mold. His glove is also suspect, leaving teams to feel that he will need to move from the corner outfield to either first, or more likely, a designated hitter role.

Those defensive concerns could limit Tsutsugo’s market. If teams feel that he is unplayable defensively, National League teams could back off. Otherwise, they may look to plug him in at first and hope for the best. Even that may be a tricky proposition.

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo is getting the chance to chase his dreams. With his tremendous power, he will be an interesting player to watch in free agency when he is posted.