Former Red Sox reliever Matt Andriese has signed a one-year deal with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2022 season, the team announced on Friday.
According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the contract is worth $2.1 million and includes up to $500,000 in potential incentives.
Andriese, 32, inked a similar one-year deal with the Red Sox last December that came with $2.1 million in guaranteed money. Boston signed the veteran right-hander with hopes that he could provide rotation depth and pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen when needed, though it ultimately did not work out in the end.
While Andriese may have taught fellow reliever Garrett Whitlock his changeup, the righty struggled to the tune of a 6.03 ERA and 4.70 FIP to go along with 38 strikeouts to 11 walks over 26 appearances spanning 37 1/3 innings of work in his time with the Red Sox.
On July 10, Boston placed Andriese on the 10-day injured list due to right hamstring tendinitis. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester the following month, but was designated for assignment when the club needed to create space on its 40-man roster on August 17.
After clearing waivers and getting released by the Sox, Andriese latched on with the Mariners on Aug. 22 and pitched to a much-improved 2.45 ERA (1.81 FIP) in eight appearances (11 innings pitched) with Seattle.
That said, the Mariners removed Andriese from their 40-man roster when they called up top pitching prospect Matt Brash from Triple-A Tacoma in late September.
Andriese became a free agent once more heading into the off-season. Instead of signing a minor-league pact with another club, however, the California native opted to take his talents to Japan.
A veteran of seven big-league seasons between the Rays, Diamondbacks, Angels, Red Sox, and Mariners, Andriese does have some experience pitching overseas. The 6-foot-2, 215 pound hurler participated in the MLB Japan All-Star Series back in 2018.
If Andriese, who turns 33 in August, performs well with his new team in Tokyo, he could potentially look to make his way back to Major League Baseball next year.
(Picture of Matt Andriese: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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