The Texas Rangers bolstered their rotation on Saturday by signing free agent right-hander Kohei Arihara to a two-year deal.
Arihara, 28, spent the last six years with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan. The deadline for Arihara to sign with a Major League Baseball team was Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. CT.
The terms of the deal and the Rangers’ posting fee were not released.
“The addition of Kohei Arihara strengthens the depth in our starting rotation,” Rangers president Jon Daniels said. “He has had success in Japan over the last six years with a breakout season in 2019, and we believe there is more to come. The fact that he threw more than 130.0 innings in 2020 is a real plus considering the reduced workloads of our returning starters due to the 60-game season.
Arihara went 8-9 with a 3.46 ERA in 20 starts last season. He finished the season on a hot streak, going 4-2 with a 2.02 ERA over his final seven starts.
Overall, Arihara went 60-50 with a 3.74 ERA in 129 games (125 starts) in his career with Hokkaido.
“Hello everyone. I am extremely grateful for the Rangers who gave me an opportunity to play in Major League Baseball,” said Arihara in a statement. “I will continue to work hard in order for me to grow and succeed in this city. To lead into this, I will make sure to have a good offseason so that I can head into Spring Training in top condition. I am truly excited to be able to pitch in front of the Rangers fans at Globe Life Field, and I hope that you will all support me in my journey. Thank you.”
In a corresponding move, the Rangers designated right-handed pitcher Art Warren for assignment.
