11:12am: Mills agreed to sign with the Orix Buffaloes, MLBTR has learned.
11:01am: Southpaw Brad Mills left the Rangers organization to play in Japan, tweeted Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram last night. Bernie Pleskoff of RotoWire first tweeted Mills had left the Triple-A All-Star game after requesting his release, also noting the likelihood of him going to Japan. He had joined the club via a March waiver claim from the Angels, but was immediately outrighted to Triple-A. Despite a stint on the DL for elbow tightness, Mills made 17 starts this year.
Mills, 28, posted a 3.87 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and 0.83 HR/9 in 97 2/3 innings this year. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the fourth round in 2007 out of the University of Arizona, a round which also produced big leaguers Darwin Barney, Corey Kluber, Charlie Furbush, and Derek Norris. Mills pitched in the Majors briefly in each of the past four seasons, which included a December 2011 trade to the Angels for catcher Jeff Mathis.
