Shinnosuke Ogasawara, a 28‑year‑old left‑handed pitcher, has officially signed with the Yomiuri Giants, marking his return to Nippon Professional Baseball after two seasons in Major League Baseball.
The Giants announced his arrival at a press conference on Thursday, highlighting the veteran’s nine‑year NPB career that began when he was selected first overall in the 2015 draft by the Chunichi Dragons.
During his time in Japan he logged 951 ⅓ innings with a 3.62 earned‑run average, a 19 percent strikeout rate and an 8 percent walk rate, numbers that helped him earn a posting to the United States.
In 2022 Ogasawara posted a career‑best 2.76 ERA and a 24 percent strikeout rate over 146 ⅔ innings, catching the attention of MLB scouts.
The Washington Nationals took a chance, signing him to a two‑year, $3.5 million contract. He made 23 appearances, including two starts, and posted a 6.98 ERA before being removed from the 40‑man roster at season’s end.
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After the 2026 season he split time between Double‑A and Triple‑A, compiling a 2.91 ERA with a 27 percent strikeout rate and a 6 percent walk rate across 11 starts, which led the Nationals to grant him his release.
Ogasawara said he had received interest from several NPB clubs, including his former team the Chunichi Dragons, but ultimately chose the Giants, a team currently battling for first place in the Central League.
The Giants’ rotation already ranks fourth league‑wide with a collective 3.11 ERA, and the addition of Ogasawara deepens a staff that includes Kazuyuki Takemaru, Haruto Inoue, Forrest Whitley and Masahiro Tanaka.
His return also underscores a broader trend of Japanese pitchers using the posting system to accelerate their path to domestic free agency, a pathway that has reshaped the competitive balance in NPB.