Tsuyoshi Wada

2013

Subscribe now to see our 2013 outlook.

2012

Wada has been steady frontline starter throughout his nine-year career with the Softbank Hawks, which neatly opened and concluded with Japan Series wins in 2003 and 2011. He never overpowered batters in NPB, and certainly won't at the MLB level. He works mostly around 86-87 MPH with his fastball, and mixes in sliders and changeups at 75-80 MPH, while dropping in a very occasional sub-70 MPH curve. He either took a quantum leap forward or, more likely, massively benefited from the new NPB ball in 2011 that was harder to hit. Wada's ERA in 2011 was 1.51, more than twice as good as his career 3.13 mark, and way ahead of his previous career best, 2.82 achieved in 2007. He's surpassed 180 innings in four of his nine NPB seasons, and never reached 190 innings. NPB starters, when moving to MLB, have tended to see their innings counts decline. Given that Wada is a little on the diminutive side at 5-foot-10, 175, and will open the 2012 season at age 31. anticipating some workload regression seems fair. Given his mediocre velocity and his penchant for throwing strikes, adapting to life in the AL East seems like a tall order. Still, he'll likely begin the season in Baltimore's rotation after signing a two-year, $8.15 million deal.