3 Teams That Are Most Aggressive Suitors For Japanese Superstar Seiya Suzuki

 

If the latest report on Japanese superstar Seiya Suzuki is correct, there's a good chance he'll be playing ball in the uber-competitive American League East next season. 

Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal reports that the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are the three most aggressive suitors thus far for Suzuki, according to a "major league source."

McAdam reports that more than a few people in the game "believe that the Red Sox are intent on landing Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki" and that the Yankees, Blue Jays and Red Sox have been the most aggressive clubs. https://t.co/mpV9cO1upi

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) December 5, 2021

With outfield being the power-hitting Suzuki's prime position, any of the three teams could easily use the Nippon League MVP. The Red Sox just traded away a huge chunk of outfield power, sending Hunter Renfroe to the Milwaukee Brewers to bring back all-field, no-hit Jackie Bradley Jr.  Suzuki would slot right in, in right field.

After the disappointing showing by Joey Gallo in pinstripes, the Yankees would love to find another outfield star to join Aaron Judge, while the Blue Jays would be anxious to replace Randal Grichuk, whose meager .703 OPS and .281 on-base would hardly be missed. Suzuki could rotate through the OF and DH along with Teoscar Hernandez. 

Here's the catch, however, to this report: no one knows if Suzuki even wants to play on the East Coast. Many Japanese players do prefer the West Coast in fact (see: Shohei Ohtani, Ichiro Suzuki), and there's no telling if he, unlike most major-league players, would simply go to the highest bidder. 

In the meantime, the 30-day posting window, in which MLB teams are open to negotiate a contract with Suzuki, is now on pause with about 20 days left once the lockout is lifted. 

But according to many, including one scout quoted in the McAdam story who calls him a "difference-maker", Suzuki should be well worth the wait.

Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports