The SoftBank Hawks announced the signing of former big-league pitcher Matt Moore on Thursday.
The 30-year-old lefty totaled 54 wins for the Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers after making his Major League Baseball debut in 2011.
He was limited to just two games for the Detroit Tigers in 2019 following meniscus surgery on his right knee.
The 1.9-meter Florida native has recorded double-digit wins three times in his career. He reached the milestone most recently in 2016 when he finished 13-12 after moving from the Rays to the Giants during the season.
(Matt Moore)
[MLB photo/Getty/Kyodo]
Moore will wear No. 37 for the Hawks, who have won five of the last six Japan Series titles, including the past three straight.
General manager Sugihiko Mikasa said the Hawks needed to bolster their pitching stocks following the departure of Ariel Miranda and Robert Suarez.
"We were looking for someone who can be one of our cornerstone starters. (Moore) has had injuries, but he's a proven pitcher," Mikasa said.
The Hawks on Thursday also announced an extension for veteran infielder Seiichi Uchikawa.
The right-handed batter inked a one-year deal worth 250 million yen ($2.28 million), down 150 million yen from his previous contract, after averaging .256 in 2019, his worst return for a season in which he reached the prescribed number of at-bats.
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