Pittsburgh Pirates giving Yoshi Tsutsugo another chance
Yoshi Tsutsugo was an intriguing prospect when he first came over from Japan. A noted power hitter, Tsutsugo was supposed to be part of the answer for the Rays lineup, someone that could slot into the corners at either the infield or outfield. Instead, he struggled to make contact, being sent to the Dodgers and subsequently released.
Now Tsutsugo finds himself with his third organization of the 2021 season. He will reportedly sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, although a move will need to be made on the 40 man roster to accommodate his arrival.
#筒香嘉智 選手はパイレーツ移籍が決定。月曜からパイレーツの一員として、ロサンゼルスでのドジャース戦に臨みます。#YoshiTsutsugo who was released from the OKC #Dodgers, will sign with the #Pirates and face his former team, the Dodgers from Monday. Source confirmed to Sankei Sports.
— 山田結軌⚾️サンスポMLB記者🇺🇸 (@mlbkishayamada) August 15, 2021
Pittsburgh Pirates giving Yoshi Tsutsugo a chance
Tsutsugo had been a solid player in Nippon Professional Baseball, producing a .285/.382/.528 batting line in his 4000 plate appearances, hitting 205 homers and 195 doubles. Although there were some questions about whether or not he had the bat speed to hit a major league fastball, or could handle major league breaking pitches, his power potential made him an intriguing gamble.
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That gamble had not paid off for either the Rays or the Dodgers. Those concerns about Tsutsugo being able to handle major league pitching proved accurate, as he produced a meager .181/.291/.315 batting line in his 303 plate appearances, hitting eight homers and nine doubles. While he did draw 40 walks, Tsutsugo also struck out 89 times.
Nonetheless, he is the type of player that the Pirates need to gamble on. There is some reason for hope that he can eventually become a viable major league option – he does have a career 44.5% hard hit rate when making contact, and 13.2% walk rate is well above the major league average. It is possible that the Pirates can find a diamond in the rough.
If so, Tsutsugo is still young enough that he could be a part of their rebuilding process. He will not turn 30 years old until November, and could be someone that the Pirates can build around. However, that depends on whether or not he can fulfill his potential and if he wants to remain stateside when his contract is up after this season.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are taking a chance on Yoshi Tsutsugo. Despite his struggles, there may be enough there for this move to work out.