The Padres have added to their bullpen, and in the process, have given out a deal that few relievers have.
San Diego agreed to a five-year deal with Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui, the team announced Saturday evening.
The deal is worth $28 million and has opt-outs after the third and fourth seasons, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
In making their first signing of this offseason, the Padres handed out just the third current free-agent contract for a reliever that is of at least five years.
Last offseason, San Diego inked Robert Suarez to a five-year pact while the Mets did the same with Edwin Diaz when he signed a record $102 million deal.
Before that, the last two free-agent deals of five years were when Aroldis Chapman inked a five-year contract with the Yankees and Kenley Jensen followed suit with the Dodgers, both before the 2017 season.
In landing Matsui, the Padres are getting a 28-year-old who has pitched 10 years with the Tohuku Rakuten Golden Eagles, with whom he’s accumulated 236 saves.
Six times the 5-foot-8 southpaw reached the 30-save mark, setting a career high last year when he locked down 39 games as he held a 1.57 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 72 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings pitched.
He threw one inning in this past year’s World Baseball Classic, pitching a spotless frame with one strikeout before Japan took the championship over the United States.
He profiles as someone who will throw between 92 and 95 mph with his fastball, per MLB.com and ESPN.
He joins a bullpen that had the 10th-best ERA (3.80) in baseball last year, but it could be losing closer Josh Hader, who is a free agent.
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