Yuki Matsui Contract: Exploring details around Japanese reliever's deal with the Padres

On Saturday, the San Diego Padres announced they had reached a deal with Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui. The two sides agreed to a five-year, $28 million contract.

San Diego needed to do something to revitalize their bullpen. All-Star closer Josh Hader is a free agent, and many insiders do not see the lefty re-signing with the team this winter.

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The contract includes opt-out clauses after the third and fourth seasons and an injury clause that can convert the fifth year into a club option. Given the length of the contract, this is a rare signing.

Very few free-agent relief pitchers can ink a deal of five years. Yuki Matsui is just the third active reliever to sign a contract of five or more years.

Yuki Matsui did not get the attention he should have with all the stars on the open market

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Yuki Matsui is a fantastic relief pitcher. In 10 seasons in the Nippon League, Matsui has compiled a 2.43 ERA with 236 saves. He is coming off a season with a career-high 39 saves.

He did not receive the same attention as he would have if Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were not free agents. They attracted much of the league's attention before their signings.

While Matsui does not look the part, standing at just 5'8, he is a force to be reckoned with. He can run his fastball up to 96 MPH and pairs that with a curveball and a deadly splitter.

He started his career as a starter but transitioned to the bullpen before the end of his rookie season. It was seemingly a great move, as he has been one of the most successful relievers in NPB.

Matsui will be a great addition to the Padres bullpen, who was impressive during the 2023 season.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom