The 2025-26 free agent class featured a lengthy list of pitchers coming over from Asia. They brought varying resumes and asking prices but were typically lumped together during offseason discussions. Left-hander Foster Griffin was one of the less heralded members of the group. Despite the lack of fanfare, he’s off to the best start.
Griffin landed with the Nationals on a modest one-year, $5.5MM agreement. A 2014 first-round draft pick, Griffin pitched briefly with the Royals and Blue Jays in parts of two seasons. After six MLB appearances in 2022, he departed for Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Griffin put together three strong campaigns with the Yomiuri Giants. The lefty delivered a 2.57 ERA with a 25.1% strikeout rate across 54 appearances (53 starts). Griffin missed time in 2025 with a leg injury that limited him to 78 innings. He was excellent when healthy, posting a 1.62 ERA backed by a 2.35 xFIP.
Through six starts, Griffin basically looks like the guy he was during his NPB stint. It’s a 2.67 ERA with decent strikeouts and a low walk rate. The main difference has been home runs, as Griffin has been taken deep five times in 33 2/3 innings. His worst home run per nine innings rate in Japan was a 0.69 mark in 2024. That number is up to 1.34 with Washington. The increase in long balls makes sense given the league context of MLB compared to NPB.
Griffin returned to big-league action with nearly twice as many pitches as he had in his last MLB stint. The lefty has added a sweeper, sinker, and splitter to a repertoire that included a four-seamer, cutter, curveball, and changeup. He’s throwing them all regularly, too. Griffin has used all seven of his pitches at least 7.8% of the time. The cutter leads the way at 30.1%, but no other Griffin offering has more than a 16% usage rate.
The diverse arsenal has helped Griffin limit damage, even with a fastball that averages 91 mph. His 37.9% hard-hit rate and 88.9 mph average exit velocity are squarely league average. Griffin’s 12.6% barrel rate is a concerning mark and could explain the elevated home run numbers. The lefty’s 3.94 xFIP and 3.95 SIERA suggest he won’t be a sub-3.00 ERA pitcher for long, but the ingredients are there for Griffin to stabilize a rotation without many reliable arms.
The Nationals filled out their pitching staff with cheap veterans around Cade Cavalli and Jake Irvin. Zack Littell (one-year, $7MM) and Miles Mikolas (one-year, $2.25MM) joined Griffin as experienced arms capable of eating innings. Littell has allowed a league-leading 13 home runs, four more than any other pitcher. Mikolas was hammered for 15 earned runs in his first two outings. He’s since been moved to a bulk relief role, though he started against the Mets today. Littell and Mikolas might not be long for the rotation, but going 1-for-3 on a group of free agent pitchers that cost less than $15MM combined seems like a win for new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni.
There are some signs to suggest it may not be sustainable. Griffin has allowed a .233 batting average on balls in play and has a 90.3% strand rate, both very fortunate numbers. That’s why some measures like his aforementioned xFIP and SIERA are not as bullish on his work so far this season. It’s possible he’s been walking a tightrope in this small sample and could fall off at any point.
Caveats aside, it’s not as though the other guys who crossed the Pacific are doing any better. Here’s a quick review of the other pitchers to come over from Asia this offseason…
Tatsuya Imai, Houston Astros (three years, $54MM)
Imai was one of the biggest starting pitchers on the market this winter. MLBTR ranked him at No. 7 in the annual Top 50 MLB Free Agents article. The righty earned his first MLB win with 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Athletics, but that outing was sandwiched by two disastrous starts against the Angels and Mariners. Imai was pulled in the first inning in Seattle after four walks and a hit by pitch. He soon went on the IL with right arm fatigue.
Cody Ponce, Toronto Blue Jays (three years, $30MM)
Ponce came in at No. 39 on our top free agents list. He pitched in NPB and the Korea Baseball Organization over the past four seasons. Ponce’s long-awaited MLB return was ruined by a knee injury in his first start. He came up limping after reaching for a ground ball and was eventually diagnosed with a torn ACL. Ponce pitched well in MLB Spring Training, but his 2026 MLB sample will consist of just 2 1/3 innings.
Ryan Weiss, Houston Astros (one year, $2.6MM)
It was a winding road for Weiss to get to the big leagues. The former Diamondbacks farmhand spent time in the independent Atlantic League, Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League, and KBO before winding up with the Astros. Weiss has mostly been used in long relief. He’s recorded a 6.65 ERA across 21 2/3 frames. Weiss has punched out more than a batter per inning, but he has a bloated 15.1% walk rate. He’s also allowed a home run in six of eight appearances. Free baserunners and a penchant for homers is a rough combination.
Anthony Kay, Chicago White Sox (two years, $12MM)
Kay came in with the most MLB experience of the group. He pitched in parts of five seasons with the Blue Jays, Cubs, and Mets. The lefty had some prospect pedigree when he debuted with Toronto in 2019, but the results tended to be underwhelming. Kay has scuffled to a 6.12 ERA in six appearances with the White Sox. He’s shown the improved velocity that put him back on the MLB radar, sitting 95.8 mph with the four-seamer, but the pitch has been pounded for a .368 BA and a .684 SLG.
Drew Anderson, Detroit Tigers (one year, $7MM)
Anderson last pitched in the big leagues with Texas in 2021. He put together a strong MLB Spring Training (0.69 ERA, 33.3% strikeout rate) and broke camp as the long man in Detroit’s bullpen. Anderson has struck out opponents at a solid 25.8% clip, but he’s also been done in by walks (12.1%) and home runs (1.80 HR/9). The righty does have a sub-4.00 xFIP and SIERA, so perhaps better days are ahead. He pitched two scoreless innings to get the win against the Braves this afternoon.
Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images
