Former Chicago White Sox reliever Thyago Vieira drawing MLB interest
By David Hill
Thyago Vieira had been a solid prospect earlier in his career. A fireballing righty with an above average curve and spotty command, Vieira got his chance in the Chicago White Sox bullpen in 2018 and 2019, but struggled to generate outs, leading to his being released. He eventually signed in Japan in hopes that he could resurrect his career.
It is safe to say that Vieira did exactly that. After a record setting stint with the Yomiuri Giants, Vieira is reportedly garnering interest from several major league teams.
RHP Thyago Vieira of the Yomiuri Giants has about five MLB teams interested in him, per sources, which gives the reliever an interesting decision to make on whether to return to the Majors. Vieira throws 100+ mph and has set numerous pitching records in the NPB.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 29, 2021
Former Chicago White Sox reliever Thyago Vieira generating MLB interest
It is quite the departure from when Vieira was last on a major league mound. He had spent parts of three seasons in the majors, posting a 7.36 ERA and a 1.792 WHiP in his 25.2 innings, striking out 24 batters with 14 walks. Vieira also uncorked six wild pitches, as his command kept him from being an effective option.
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While those command issues still existed in Japan, he was nonetheless able to dominate. He posted a 3.04 ERA and a 1.350 WHiP in his 80 innings, striking out 93 batters with 43 walks. Vieira emerged as the Giants’ closer last season, notching 19 saves as he took major strides forward.
Vieira was able to make headlines for reasons beyond his statistics. He fired the fastest pitch in Nippon Professional Baseball history, a 103 MPH dart that broke the record shared by Shohei Ohtani and Robert Corniel. That type of velocity is certain to attract attention from major league teams.
Despite 11 seasons in professional ball, he is still just 28 years old. Sometimes it takes prospects longer to reach their potential, which Vieira may finally be able to do. His command is still questionable, but if he can limit hits as he did in Japan in 2021, he could be an asset in the bullpen. For a team looking for a controllable arm at a potential bargain price, Vieira would certainly be an intriguing option.
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Former Chicago White Sox reliever Thyago Vieira found success in Japan. His record setting performance could see him back in the majors next year.