The Baltimore Orioles acquired rookie pitcher Shintaro Fujinami Wednesday in a deal with the Oakland Athletics. Oakland received minor league pitching prospect Easton Lucas in return. The trade was one of the first significant deals to be made ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline.
Fujinami has been used in unorthodox ways in his first season with the Athletics, beginning his MLB career as a starter before moving to the bullpen. He also played several games as an opener, or pitcher who starts but only appears for one or two innings.
In 34 appearances and 49.1 innings this season, Fujinami has compiled a 5-8 record with an 8.73 ERA. The poor results are partially to blame on a shaky start to the season, as well as the Athletics’ horrendous performance overall in 2023, but Fujinami has settled into his role as a reliever well in recent months.
Baltimore will acquire the 28-year-old upstart at an opportune time, as the team just took first place in the AL East and seem poised to make a serious playoff push. Far removed from the doldrums of the American League, the Orioles are now a young, dangerous organization in MLB’s most competitive division. Fujinami, who boasts triple-digit fastball velocity despite struggles with control, could prove to be an asset for the team as it looks to maintain momentum in the second half of the season.
It will be interesting to see Fujinami adjust from playing for the Athletics, a bottom-feeder on the West Coast, to the Orioles, a bonafide playoff contender, in the span of a few days. The Japanese rookie has already learned a lot in his short time in the league and there may be even more for him to grow accustomed to in the coming months.
The Athletics, meanwhile, likely decided to part with Fujinami because he was a luxury they couldn’t afford. Though the team has essentially been eliminated from playoff contention since May (or even April), the team must now assume a forward-looking vision as it looks to build a more formidable roster ahead of an impending move to Las Vegas. Lucas, a 26-year-old lefthander with a 2.93 ERA in the minors this season, could be of use for the team at some point in the future.
