The Cubs have free-agent center fielder Shogo Akiyama “on their radar,” reports Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (subscription required), and Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen acknowledged his own club’s interest in the 31-year-old at this week’s GM Meetings (link via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Repbulic).
Akiyama, a longtime Seibu Lions star, is hoping to make the jump to Major League Baseball this offseason. Unlike countryman Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, who was posted by the Yokohama BayStars earlier today, Akiyama has nine years of service time, making him a true free agent who isn’t subject to the MLB-NPB posting system.
Akiyama has topped 20 homers in each of the past three seasons and swiped 15-plus bags in each of the past five years. In all, since the 2015 season, he’s a .320/.398/.497 hitter. He’ll turn 32 next April, so in addition to the standard questions on the extent to which a player’s output in NPB can be approximated in MLB, Akiyama will also deal with teams wondering when he’ll begin to decline. Although he’s been clear about his desire to challenge himself by playing in the Major Leagues, that doesn’t guarantee that he’ll make the switch. Akiyama is a star in NPB, so he should be able to land a multi-year deal to remain in Japan if he doesn’t find offers from MLB clubs to be suitable.
It’s not terribly difficult to see why the Cubs would have interest in Akiyama. Albert Almora hasn’t developed into the quality regular they’d hoped when he was a highly regarded prospect, and Cubs center fielders posted a dismal .232/.305/.388 line on the season as a whole. Both Almora and Jason Heyward, who shifted to center field frequently in 2019 (largely due to Almora’s struggles), posted negative center-field marks in Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating.
The D-backs don’t have a glaring need in center, although that’s partially due to the flexibility that Ketel Marte affords the front office. Marte can capably handle either center field or second base, leaving Hazen and his staff free to explore a number of possibilities. Still, via Piecoro, Hazen specifically acknowledged that the Diamondbacks “think [Akiyama] is a good player.” The Diamondbacks, under Hazen, haven’t been shy about rolling the dice on players who’ve had success overseas; Arizona has signed right-handers Yoshihisa Hirano and Merrill Kelly to low-cost deals over the past two years.
Chicago and Arizona won’t be the only clubs that gives some consideration to Akiyama this winter. Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins has already acknowledged some interest, and the dearth of center-field options available in free agency only enhances the likelihood that he’ll garner additional MLB interest.
StandUpGuy
Hi
rayrayner
Trying the minimalist approach this time?
ReverieDays
Guess they didn’t learn their lesson wasting money and time on Kosuke Fukudome.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
That was jim Hendry though. Possibly the worse gm off all time. Worse than Dan O’Dowd
its_happening
I’ll put JP Ricciardi up against Hendry and O’Dowd. As a bonus I’ll throw in DePodesta.
Senioreditor
DePodesta really didn’t get a chance to implement anything as the Dodgers pulled the plug quickly when things went south. He was an early sabermetric guy…,. Maybe it would have worked?
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
At one point if you remember Hendry was obsessed with getting Brian Roberts and never pulled the trigger. He was an average player at best. He also gave Alfonso Soriano way too much money and derek Lee as well. Lee had one great year his entire career with the cubs. Hr flat out refused to be traded to any team. You would think a player would want to win it all. Not Derek Lee.
KP23
1 great year for Lee? Who had a 5.4 WAR in his age 33 season. You must be referring to another guy
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Okay a season and half that he was great.
justinept
Hendry was a fine GM. Not a game changer by any stretch, but the Cubs have had much, much worse GMs.
Mikel Grady
No hendry love for Baez? Aramis Ramirez and kenny lofton?
bucknerkingmansutter
Choi for Derrick Lee & dumped Hundley for Karros & Grudzelanek.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Ramirez and Kenny Lofton for Jose Hernandez was his only noteworthy trade. Not keeping Lofton was as bad as thinking Corey Patterson was gonna be a great player. Kenny Lofton is the type of player they’ve been looking for since they Lost dexter fowler.
spinach
They want to replace a washed up 34 year old with a 50 year old?
wordonthestreet
Hendry was a good GM when the Tribune company allowed him flexibility. He also gave the Cubs Javy Baez as a parting gift. Tribune company did not believe in spending money in the player drafts back then. It was not until Ricketts came and let him go for the best players he could in drafting young talent like Baez and paying them to sign.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
The Tribune and now the Ricketts dont believe in spending money
theoepsteinhof
What a bad take you have! The Cubs were right with Boston & New York as luxury tax offenders. The highest payroll in the league! But, yeah, they don’t spend money.
twentyforty
The part youre missing is that the Cubs print money, the luxury tax is peanuts for large market teams like the Cubs and acting like they have a budget is laughable.
mistry gm
Seriously? he signed Milton Hatfield.
anthonyd4412
While agree, he did draft Baez and signed Contreras out of Venezuela
deacs71
Worst GM of all time is, by far, Ken Harrelson. Before annoying non-White Sox fans as the homer broadcaster we all know as “The Hawk,” he had one season as Chicago’s GM – during which he fired Tony La Russa and (then assistant GM) Dave Dombrowski, moved Carlton Fisk to left field, and traded Bobby Bonilla for Jose DeLeon.
Irishblade
Jack Zduriencik for the win.
hrm3rd
Come now, Hendry was not that bad for the Cubs. Larry Himes hands down gets my vote. Not signing Greg Maddox over 100K will forever be unforgivable!
rayrayner
He won’t cost what Fukudome cost. He may not be offered as much as he could make in Japan. It depends on if he really wants to come here.
I like how writing Fukudome puts the comment in moderation.
wordonthestreet
Fukudome was a solid player who did not live up to the hype so did wind up overpaid but its not like he was a bust
okiguess
Solid player? I once saw him forced out at second on what should have been a clean single to right filed by the poor batter.
Greg M
Fukudome was definitely Theo’s biggest blunder. Although, I’ve always felt that Ross’s successor could have utilized him better.
Mikel Grady
Theo was not the cubs GM in 2008
IjustloveBaseball
Kosuke Fukudome, while not great, wasn’t that bad with the Cubs. Overpaid? Yes, but not a bad player.
Additionally, how is one player not living up to his “hype” representative of how other players are going to turn out?
Besides, Akiyama or Tsutsugo for that matter, won’t sniff the contract Fukudome got.
chicagofan1978
Wait so because the Cubs signed one bad player who happened to be Japanese also, they shouldn’t sign this guy either? What kind of logic is that?
Clockradiospeaker
I was about to post the same thing, more or less. Hideki Irabu didn’t work out…..stay away from Masahiro Tanaka.
okiguess
Was going to post the same thing – Fukudome II
greatd
People do not understand that Fukudome wasn’t as bad as people made him out to be.
Yes a .257 / .259 / .263 average wasn’t ideal by any means but
he did have a .359 / .375 / .371 on base percentage.
He wasn’t worth the contract all things considered but he wasn’t useless.
Phiilies2020
I’m predicting a .260/.320/.395 slash with 12 dingers and 10 SB with slightly above average defensive metricts in CF. Hard pass for my favorite team
tim4
I’m predicting 8 fingers and 2 thumbs
clepto
Odds on having toe thumbs?
Kayrall
If he can play average defense and bat lead-off, then sign him up.
chitown311
K.
Banesays
a sphincter says k?
megaj
Sphincter is too kind, not fair to sphincters.
swinging wood
Que?
omahaomaha
Cubs shopping at bargain bin, ricketts their owners crying poor as they laugh all the way to bank!!! They do have some contracts coming up for renewal in next year or so , so maybe time to trade and get some value?
Yeetus
Haha. Yeah, pretty soon the Cubs will be demoted to a AAA team. I say call up Memphis or Indianapolis up to the major leagues. Or jeez, why not a good AA team.
StL Busker
With MLB encouraging the posting process,to further involve the Japanese players and all fans of both leagues, and with Akiyama wanting to take advantage of the MLB salaries that aren’t afforded him in the Japanese league, I can see him playing for a ML team this season. The question is, how many teams are realisticly able to allott those millions of dollars, is the bottom line.
rycm131
Wow! Can you imagine if either team signed him?
dewssox79
as a wsox fan..hendry was fine. not perfect, but was fine.
BeeVeeTee
This signing would be a smart move for the Cubs since they are launching their network. It’s about attracting the Japanese market!
megaj
This was one of my contest picks for the Cubs
Emerson83
Ian happ should be doing the herlihy boy skit as Sandler
andrewf
.275 .350 .480 slash line with 20 homers and 10 SB is what I’m predicting on the high end
chiraqi_savage
For chrissakes.. Theo, you need to just go back to watching videos of airplane crashes… Your strategy with this club is as big a disaster as your favorite past time.. Did you even watch last season? Bruh, do you even baseball?
Jake1972
Those bashing Jim Hendry should remember Jim built the 2003, 2007 and 2008 Playoff teams and was part of the drafting process and scouting of Kerry Wood, Prior and Zambrano.
Jim Hendry get a bad rap for no reason at all and in fact Jim netted stars like Lee, Ramirez and Lofton.
Was Jim perfect?
No, but he was not the worst GM ever…
The Human Toilet
He was solid, but the biggest knock was his drafting ability and player development. Picked very raw talented players that failed
The Human Toilet
I am a firm believer that Baez would of been another failure under Hendry if Theo did not take over
Captain Baez
A honest logical response is a rarity of this site. Its full of trolls and wanta be GM’s that dont know there butt from a hole in the ground. I read this site for satire anything more than that is just humor from some of the dumbest people that draw breath comment here especially the whits sux fans. BTW I am watching 8 men out because that was the biggest black mark on the game that I love.
bigbadjohnny
I rather have Happ in CF.
okiguess
He’s no speed burner, caught stealing 58% of the time.
megaj
Cubs have ZERO speed, so any kind of wheels is an improvement. Add the fact he doesn’t chase off speed stuff and can take some walks = much improvement for Cubs lead off spot. And he plays CF. I mean, unless Cubs shock the world and try to trade for Betts what is wrong saving money on position players? Whatever big money they spend needs to be for a top of rotation starter and bullpen help.
Mikel Grady
Agreed
okiguess
An outfield of Akiyama, Heyward and Schwarber. Can’t miss.
megaj
If Heyward goes back to RF and Happ/Hoerner platoon at 2B, I actually think that works pretty good. Even if Akiyama’s OBP goes down 10% in MLB, it would still be better than the Cubs have had in years for leadoff hitter.
scottaz
Akiyama is about the 3rd choice, i.e. Plan C for the Dbacks. They are looking to build, not re-build this year and Akiyama is too much of a flyer, too many questions, for a team trying to close the gap on the Dodgers in the NLW. However, finding a CF so Marte doesn’t have to play CF this year is the Top Priority, so if Plan C or risking Marte’s health are the options…Dbacks will go with Plan C.
jd396
What the hell is happening in that picture?
Ghost Pepper
Dbacks should target Puig also ; our pool is a little low.
jdan74
“You have no marbles!!”