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Oakland Athletics pitcher Shintaro Fujinami has not performed the way fans had hoped he would so far. The Athletics signed him this offseason as an international free agent on a one-year, $3.25 million contract.
So far this season, Fujinami has compiled a 1-5 record with a 12.69 ERA and a 2.10 WHIP. This is far from the pitcher that Oakland thought they would be getting their hands on this season.
Fujinami was picked first overall back in the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball Draft, going to the Hanshin Tigers. He'd go on to make his debut the following year, marking the earliest appearance by a rookie drafted out of high school.
After seasons of dominating hitters in NPB, Fujinami wanted to try out his luck in the MLB. But so far, he's struggled to adjust to the new league. After starting four games, Fujinami has now been moved to the bullpen in a relief role.
Baseball Reddit can't get over how unimpressive Shintaro Fujinami has looked so far.
"Fuji is speedrunning the worst career ever" one fan posted.
"Gunning for that LVP award" another fan posted.
Fujinami came in with high expectations, but what was projected to be a smart move by the Athletics has now turned into a nightmare deal.
Nobody could have predicted the former Tigers pitcher to struggle this hard with adjusting to life in the MLB. Luckily for Fujinami, the season is still young, and he still has time to prove his doubters wrong and turn his fortunes around.
Much like Shintaro Fujinami, the Oakland Athletics don't look too inspiring
It's no secret that the Oakland Athletics are currently the worst-performing outfit in the MLB. With a 10-39 record, the only other team close to mirroring their poor run are the Kansas City Royals, who sit at 14-35.
Things off the field haven't been looking too great either. With the team's ownership looking to relocate to Las Vegas, the storied franchise's future is up in the air.
With lawmakers unwilling to fork over the cash the Athletics seek for a new stadium, the team's relocation plans things have hit a standstill.
Oakland fans have very little reason to remain optimistic about this season. A Shintaro Fujinami redemption arc, though, could help serve as a silver-linning for what has so far been a woeful season for the nine-time World Series champions.
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