Four* former NPB players (including three former Hanshin Tigers) have been signed by Japanese teams over the past few weeks. The Yokohama DeNA Baystars signed former Dragons star Dayan Viciedo who had been playing in Mexico (and who I prematurely did a retirement post for two months ago) and former Tigers pitcher Shintaro Fujinami (who was just released by the Mariners). The Tigers re-signed former closer Rafael Dolis who'd been playing for the Kochi Fighting Dogs of the Shikoku Island League for the past year and half. Finally, former Tiger Koyo Aoyagi was released by the Phillies last week and is reportedly signing with the Swallows although there's been no formal announcement.
*There's a fifth one - Mike Ford of the Baystars - but I don't have any of his cards from last year. His only NPB cards that I know about are Epoch One cards. UPDATE - a commenter reminded me that he had an autographed card in last year's Fusion set too.
Here are cards of all four players:
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| 2017 Epoch Tigers #05 (Variant **) |
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| 2024 BBM 1st Version #151 |
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| 2019 BBM 2nd Version #578 |
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| 2024 Epoch NPB #005 |
Mike Ford does already have a BBM card, an autographed card in 2024 BBM Fusion numbered to /60. I entertained the idea of buying one because his career has always stuck out to me, but I haven't seen one come up for sale at a reasonable price yet.
ReplyDeletehttps://images.bbm-japan.com/media/article/56581/images/7b8db2557107a526754b079ddf0856493139c9be.jpg?w=525
You are correct and I saw that card yesterday when I was checking what he had. Just a brain fart on my part. Thanks for the correction!
DeleteI do think it's weird that BBM included an autograph card for him in Fusion but not a "1st Version Update" card. They did something similar for Alen Hanson in 2023 - he's got an autographed card in 2nd Version but no base card in any set