MLB Rumors: Japanese Outfielder Still On Red Sox's Radar Amid Lockout

KEY POINTS

Seiya Suzuki is still bent on making the jump to the MLB once the lockout is settled
The Red Sox are hot on Suzuki’s trail, but other teams are also interested
Suzuki is forecasted to get a four-year, $64 million deal

Major League Baseball (MLB) has taken a hit after missing the first week of the regular season with the lockout still far from resolved.

Hence, this means that MLB teams cannot negotiate contracts of players, including free agents. One name that comes to mind is Seiya Suzuki.

Despite delays in the commencement of the 2022 MLB season, the 27-year-old outfielder is reportedly staying patient and is determined to make the transition to the MLB.

The plans of Suzuki were confirmed no less by his agent Joel Wolfe to Andrew Bagarly of The Athletic.

“Seiya is 100% committed to playing in MLB this year. He’s shown remarkable patience and resolve,” the agent reportedly said in the report.

The Boston Red Sox has been heavily linked to the five-time Central League Gold Glove awardee.

This gained steam after they traded right fielder Hunter Renfroe to the Milwaukee Brewers.

That move opened a slot on the Red Sox roster, and the understanding of most is that Suzuki will be the one to fill in that open spot.

Suzuki entered the offseason ranked as the 15th best free agent by CBS Sports.

In the Nippon Professional Baseball league, he has already made five All-Star appearances. He has hit for a .315/.415/.571 slash line.

To back that up, the Japanese player’s ball-tracking data from last season as compared to the big-league hitters provide a better overview of how Suzuki ranks against other players in the majors.

In the report, Suzuki can hit the ball hard and makes a good amount of contact. He seldom swings at balls and has an optimized launch angle.

It went on to say that teams building the ideal hitter from scratch makes Suzuki an ideal candidate if a player was made to be sent to the dish.

But with the MLB lockout, the Red Sox will have to wait. But with a player of his caliber, Boston will need to factor in that other teams are also keeping close tabs with Suzuki.

Among the teams mentioned include the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners.

According to another report by CBS Sports, Suzuki is likely to sign a four-year deal worth roughly around $64 million.