The Washington Nationals emerged victorious on Monday evening against their division rival Philadelphia Phillies as they bounced back from a rare series loss over the weekend. In the victory for the home team, the Nationals got major contributions from Foster Griffin, who made another argument in his All-Star case, and Curtis Mead, who put the game away late with a big 2-run homer.
Both Griffin and Mead had the pleasure of being offseason acquisitions by the Nationals, and it's hard to say where this team would be without both of their contributions so far this year. While both of them have paned out well, not every offseason acquisition is a success, just ask Shinnosuke Ogasawara.
Shinnosuke Ogasawara headed back to Japan after rocky American stint
When the Nationals inked Ogasawara back in January of 2025, it was a celebrated moment for us fans. After years of neglecting the Asian market, the Nationals had finally broken through and signed a guy in Ogasawara to a multi-year deal, and the signing seemingly came from out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, the fact that Mike Rizzo barely ventured into that market in the first place and then missed so badly with Ogasawara might not have been the best look for the now former GM of the Nationals. It was a valiant attempt, but too little too late at trying to break into unfamiliar territory.
As of just a couple days ago, the 28-year-old lefty is headed back to Japan, inking a deal with the Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. This is not the club he pitched for before coming stateside, so he will be embarking on a new endeavor upon heading back home.
For his career in the MLB, Ogasawara struggled mightily. His time in both the majors and minors was marred with inconsistency, as he pitched to just a 6.98 ERA and 1.552 WHIP in 23 games, making 2 starts. He struck out 30 batters across 38.2 innings last year, and even hilariously had to make an appearance as a hitter after the Nationals forfeited their DH during a game.
He would go on to strike out, but the image of him standing in the on deck circle in the year 2025 without an extra innings game was just a microcosm of the disastrous season the Nationals had last year. While things did not work out for him in the US, hopefully he will be able to rebound effectively upon his return to NPB. Best of luck, Shinnosuke!
What do you think of Shinnosuke Ogasawara returning to Japan after his stint with the Nationals? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.
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