Washington Nationals Sign Shinnosuke Ogasawara to Strengthen 2025 Rotation

Preview

The Washington Nationals are confident in Shinnosuke Ogasawara's readiness to contribute to the team in the 2025 season. Ogasawara, a 27-year-old Japanese left-hander, signed a two-year, $3.5 million contract with the Nationals. He has a notable background in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) organization, where he was an All-Star in 2023 and pitched for the Chunichi Dragons over nine seasons, accumulating a 3.62 ERA over 951.1 innings.

Preview

The Nationals are giving Ogasawara an opportunity to compete for a starting role in their 2025 rotation. This is a significant move as he is the first player the Nationals have signed directly from Japan. The team's general manager, Mike Rizzo, has expressed optimism about the depth and versatility that Ogasawara brings to the starting rotation, which already includes promising young talents like MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Keibert Ruiz, Dylan Crews, and James Wood.

Ogasawara's performance last season with the Chunichi Dragons, where he posted a 5-11 record with a 3.12 ERA in 24 games, indicates his readiness to transition to Major League Baseball (MLB). His ability to strike out 82 batters while walking only 22 in 144.1 innings last season further underscores his potential impact on the Nationals' pitching staff.

Overall, the Nationals believe that Ogasawara is well-prepared to make a positive contribution to the team and are optimistic about his prospects for the upcoming season.