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Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga is one of the top free agents this year, and the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have reached out. Senga is a 29-year-old pitcher who posted an incredible ERA of 1.89 in Japanese professional leagues in 2022. The belief is that his skill set will easily transfer over to the MLB. He has now drawn the attention of two of the biggest teams in the league.
The Yankees and Red Sox are teams that could use pitching help, and Kodai Senga might be the answer. There is a recurring concern that players in Japan will not be able to easily make the transition to baseball in America. Recent players like Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki have calmed those fears.
Jon Morosi reported on the two teams reaching out to Senga via Twitter.
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It is exceedingly rare for Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees fans to be in agreement, but they are both happy with this news, seeing that their teams are being proactive and pursuing one of the more intriguing free-agents available. Starting pitchers are a premium position in the MLB, and Kodai Senga could prove to be a great one.
It seems like neither fanbase really expects this signing to materialize. This is despite the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox being big spenders historically. In recent years, big-name free agents just always seem to choose to play elsewhere, for a multitude of reasons.
Kodai Senga has no shortage of suitors, with the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs all in the race. Ultimately, only one of these many interested teams will be able to sign Senga and bring him to the MLB. Where he goes will likely require a great combination of compensation and fit with the franchise.
The race to sign Senga has already begun, and the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are right in the thick of it.
Kodai Senga could be a difference maker for either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox
Senga could come into the league and immediately perform at an All-Star level. if he is able to transition nicely to the MLB, his value would be immense. Since he does not have proven success in the big leagues yet, his contract will likely not be as high priced as other free agent pitchers.
Senga will be an asset wherever he goes, and the Yankees and Red Sox are hoping he chooses one of them.
