The San Diego Padres signed 20-year-old Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Nogami to a minor league contract on Thursday. Though there isn't much public information on the hurler from a semi-hardball league, NBC Sports' Eric Samulski
reported that the limited scouting information suggests he has a 90 mph four-seamer, a cutter, slider, curveball and splitter.
In more pitching news, since right-hander Nick Pivetta's player option was converted to a team option after he triggered a clause in his deal due to spending more than 130 consecutive days on the injured list, president of baseball operations AJ Preller spoke on what it would look like to bring back the hurler.
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"It's that time of year, where we're going to consider all different possibilities," Preller said this week. "Obviously, the straightforward option is picking up the club option. ... The next couple weeks, we'll get together with our coaches, our staff, our evaluators and start trying to figure out what this puzzle looks like.
"We're hoping that Nick wants to be part of that puzzle. We're hoping that we can figure something out that makes him a part of this thing going forward."
Pivetta had a 2.86 ERA across nine regular-season appearances this season due to the lengthy IL stint, and in 7.2 postseason innings, struck out eight and allowed three earned runs. The $14 million option the Padres could pick up not only carries the risk of Pivetta's health, but includes an $18 million player option that the right-hander would have ahead of the 2028 campaign.
Finally, Kwanza Jones and Jose E. Feliciano, the new owners of the organization, sent a message to fans ahead of an offseason that is likely to be longer than usual.
Part of the statement dealt with the duo letting the community know their intention moving forward, and how it won't stop until they reach the ultimate goal.
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"We said we were ALL IN. We meant it then. We mean it now. All in our people. All in on winning. All in on San Diego, Baja and beyond," they wrote. "Your faith deserves more than words; it deserves action. We're committed to earning your trust through the decisions we make and the work we do alongside Padres leadership.
"We want to bring a World Series championship to this community and build an organization that makes you proud for years to come, both on and off the field."
Here's all the latest Padres news and stories (click the headline for the full article):
Padres' AJ Preller Reveals Plan With Nick Pivetta's $14 Million Option
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Padres News Owners Send Direct Message to Fans Before Critical Offseason
Padres-Giants Robbie Ray Trade Suddenly Looks One-Sided
Padres Tweets of the Day
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi as Padres Notes: SD Signs Free Agent, Nick Pivetta Option Addressed, New Owners Send Message to Fans
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