The Rangers released outfielder Joe McCarthy this week, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets that McCarthy was granted an out after agreeing to a deal with a team in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Last week, Sports Hochi in Japan reported McCarthy had agreed to terms with the Orix Buffaloes. The team has yet to announce the move, but it seems the 28-year-old will head to the Osaka-based club, which has started the season 10-12.
McCarthy, the older brother of D-Backs outfielder Jake McCarthy, is a former fifth-round draftee of the Rays. Traded to the Giants at the 2019 deadline, he played in four games and tallied 10 plate appearances with San Francisco in 2020. McCarthy otherwise spent his Giants’ tenure in the minors, including a 2021 campaign where he posted an impressive .305/.384/.542 mark with 15 homers in 74 games with Triple-A Sacramento last season.
After electing free agency at the end of the year, the University of Virginia product signed a minor league deal with Texas. Despite an 8-14 showing in Spring Training, he didn’t crack the Opening Day roster. Rather than head back to Triple-A, McCarthy will make the jump to Japan’s highest level.
It’s not uncommon for players on minors deals or even at the fringes of an MLB 40-man roster to explore opportunities in other pro leagues. McCarthy’s salary has yet to be reported, but he’ll certainly make more with the Buffaloes than he would’ve spending the entire season with the Rangers’ top affiliate in Round Rock. McCarthy doesn’t have much big league experience, but he’s a career .255/.355/.464 hitter in three Triple-A seasons. If he performs well in NPB, it stands to reason he could again draw interest from MLB teams a year or two down the line.
“You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir [Joe McCarthy], at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”
How dare you leave MLB and MiLB for Japan? LOL
You beat me to the McCarthism!!! lol
The White Sox should release Joe Karen Kelly so he can pursue an opportunity in the crybaby league. That pouty baby face of his would fit in perfectly!
poor execution but I agree with the sentiment
I must have missed something. Why exactly do you despise Kelly so much?
He’s probably an Astros fan. Not sure Kelly’s relevance to this particular story though.
Nah, Joe could emerge as a local hero if he continues to mess with the Astros MOJO by getting in their head, much the way he appears to live rent free in Rockers noggin
He told his agent that the Hiroshima Carp are out unless they change their uniform color
Well played, sir!
He’ll be back. Maybe not next season, but in time you’ll see him back stateside taking MLB at bats.
I want to see both McCarthy and DJ Peters (aka The Winter Soldier) back in the bigs in 2024.
Hope he enjoys Osaka, the food capital of Japan.
Probably an improvement for the 2021 Pacific League champion Buffaloes as Rangel Ravelo and Breyvic Valera both have an ops below .550.