Former Orioles Pitcher Makes Career Decision After First MLB Season

Current free agent and former Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano intends on staying in the MLB. 

Prior to signing with Baltimore last offseason, Sugano was considered one of the best pitchers in the NPB.

In 2024, Sugano posted a ridiculous 1.67 ERA over 156.2 innings pitched, making him an intriguing target for major league ball clubs. 

Sugano was known for his control in Japan, as his 2.1 BB/9 is amongst the top out of qualified starting pitchers. 

Baltimore would sign Sugano to a one-year, $13 million dollar contract in December of 2024. Unfortunately for Sugano (and Baltimore), his control and pinpoint accuracy did not translate to the next level. 

Sugano would ultimately struggle throughout his first season in the MLB, but still flashed his ability to be a solid big league pitcher when he did command the strike zone. 

The veteran pitcher would get off to an excellent start for Baltimore, posting a 2.79 ERA in 29.0 innings in April, and a 3.48 ERA in 31.0 innings pitched in May. Unfortunately for Sugano, it all came crashing down from there. 

Sugano would struggle to command his pitches from June to September, as his 4.79 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and a 56:24 K:BB across his last 73.1 innings was a strong indication that his hot start was indeed a fluke.

After Sugano's poor finish to the 2025 season, Baltimore elected to not re-sign him, and figured that testing the open market in 2026 would serve the veteran pitcher better. 

Sugano's time in Baltimore was quite forgetful, but he will look to get another opportunity elsewhere. 

The current starting pitcher market is extremely quiet, as a majority of teams are looking to see where Framber Valdez signs, and for what amount of money. 

Although Sugano displayed in the spring that he has the potential to be a solid starting pitcher at the next level, there are other alternatives for other teams that can offer more. 

Some notable starting pitchers who remain unsigned in free agency are Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Zac Gallen, Nick Martinez and Chris Paddack -- all pitchers that are likely to have a more robust market than Sugano. 

Sugano is projected to get a one-year contract in the $3M-$4M dollar range, according to MLB Trade Rumors.  

Although Sugano and his management team are looking to get an MLB contract, the 36 year-old will have a difficult time competing with the more proven starting pitchers.