Tomoyuki Sugano is making the move to MLB after his successful career in Japan.

Right-handed pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, recognized as the most accomplished Japanese player of his era who has dedicated his entire career to Nippon Professional Baseball, is set to enter Major League Baseball as an international free agent this winter, according to sources from ESPN. Sugano, who will celebrate his 35th birthday in a week, is enjoying a remarkable season, boasting a 1.67 ERA over 24 starts for the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants. He is a two-time recipient of the Sawamura Award, akin to the Cy Young Award, a two-time Central League MVP, and a four-time ERA champion. His resurgence has opened the door for him to finally make the jump to MLB. In 2020, the Yomiuri Giants posted Sugano, and he was anticipated to sign with a major league team. However, he did not finalize an agreement before the posting deadline lapsed and returned to Tokyo, where his uncle, the legendary Giants manager Tatsunori Hara, was still at the helm.

With Hara retiring before this season, Sugano has excelled under the guidance of Shinnosuke Abe, the Giants' longtime catcher with whom he has a strong rapport. This season, Sugano has averaged 92 mph with his four-seam fastball and has effectively utilized a two-seamer. He also employs an 82 mph slider and an 87 mph cutter about 20% of the time, along with a splitter at 86 mph and a curveball at 77 mph. According to DeltaGraphs, all six of his pitches have shown positive run values this season, making it difficult for NPB hitters to face him. Only Hiroto Takahashi, the 22-year-old ace from Chunichi who is also expected to transition to MLB in the future, has a better ERA at 1.38. While Sugano may not have the highest velocity, he compensates with exceptional command and pitchability. Over 156⅔ innings this season, he has issued just 16 walks and allowed only six home runs—remarkable in a league where the home run rate is half that of MLB—while striking out 111 batters. Unlike players who are posted, international free agents face no restrictions on signing. Players in NPB gain the right to international free agency after nine seasons, and Sugano has spent 12 years with the Giants, achieving a record of 136-75.