*Photo from the Tribune Review*
Speaking about the season as a whole, it was a nightmare for the Pittsburgh Pirates. There were some interesting performances near the end, such as that of Japanese slugger Yoshi Tsutsugo. The Pirates and Tsutsugo have agreed to a one year, $4 million contract for 2022, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The deal is pending a physical and has not been confirmed by the Pirates.
After he was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pirates signed Tsutsugo to a major league deal for the rest of the season in August, hoping to find some upside left in him. He certainly provided that, giving a mostly small ball Pirates lineup a jolt of power, recording an OPS of .883 in 43 games down the stretch.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington said in a statement that "We are excited to bring Yoshi back to Pittsburgh. Yoshi brings an extensive track record of offensive performance with power to our lineup. He is a great teammate and an insightful player with a great understanding of the game. During his short time with us, Yoshi demonstrated a willingness to challenge himself to get better, a trait that will positively influence the younger players in our clubhouse."
For 2021 as a whole, Tsutsugo hit for a .217 batting average with a .689 OPS, mashing 8 home runs and driving in 32 runs, suiting up and playing in 81 games last season, spending time with the Dodgers, Pirates, and Tampa Bay Rays. His season began with the Rays, who DFA'd him, which led to playing 12 games with the Dodgers, before they also released him, at which point the Pirates picked him up.
In two seasons in the majors since coming over from Japan, Tsutsugo has a .209 batting average and a .697 OPS, hitting 16 home runs and driving in 56 runs, hitting 17 doubles and two triples while playing in 132 regular season games. He played in 8 playoff games during the Rays run to the world series in 2020, recording two hits in 16 at bats.
The area that has been of most concern for Tsutsugo, both with the Pirates and in his MLB career as a whole, has been his defense. The Pirates initially tried him as a Gregory Polanco replacement in right field, but that did not go well for either Tsutsugo or the Pirates. Pirates GM Ben Cherington had said earlier in the offseason that they wanted Tsutsugo to move back to his natural position of first base for 2022.
While there are questions about Tsutsugo and his adaptability to MLB pitching, the one year $4 million deal he signed is low risk and high reward in nature, and if it pans out, it's a boon for a rebuilding Pirates squad. If the NL also gets the DH in 2022, Tsutsugo would also likely get more playing time as a DH as well.
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