The Masaki Saito free agency saga has finally come to an end. Saito has officially signed with the Cleveland Spiders on a six-year deal, averaging $290,000 per year, for a total contract value of $1,740,000.
The Cleveland Spiders wasted no time in celebrating their marquee signing. “The Great Ace of Heisei” Masaki Saito is now a member of their organization, adding a world-class arm to their pitching staff.
“The Spiders are proud to announce the signing of Masaki Saito,” said General Manager Ogle in the team’s official statement. “The Fiji Sawamura Award winner has signed a six-year deal with the club, and we are thrilled to bring such a storied pitcher into our organization. Saito is a world-class caliber player, and we can’t wait to see him prove this on the biggest stage in world baseball.”
Saito, who was the 1990 NPB MVP while playing for the Yomiuri Giants, now makes the leap to the Doubleday Baseball League, joining a Spiders team that has been aggressively adding talent.
One detail yet to be finalized is Saito’s jersey number. His iconic #41 is currently worn by Sterling Hitchcock, who was asked about the possibility of switching numbers to accommodate the new ace. Hitchcock responded with a smile, saying, “I’m sure we can work something out.”
Saito joins newly acquired Hiromitsu Ochiai, making them the only two Japanese players in the Spiders organization. With these additions, Cleveland continues to bolster its roster as they aim to contend in the coming seasons.