Left-hander Anderson Severino has signed with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Hanshin Tigers, the team announced.
“I’m really looking forward to beginning this new chapter in my life,” Severino said in the team’s official press release. “I’m excited to play with everything I have in front of Hanshin’s incredible fans, experience Japan’s wonderful culture, and help the team win a championship this year.”
Severino, 31, last appeared in the Majors with the Chicago White Sox in 2022, making six appearances and posting a 6.14 ERA with a 26.5% strikeout rate.
This season, the Dominican southpaw pitched for Triple-A Syracuse, where he recorded a 1.31 ERA and 26.3% strikeout rate over 18 appearances before the New York Mets granted him his release earlier in June so he could pursue an opportunity in Japan.
Severino had been linked to both the Hanshin Tigers and Yokohama DeNA BayStars for several weeks, but he ultimately landed with the former.
His arsenal is primarily a two-pitch mix, built around a mid-to-high-90s fastball and a mid-80s gyro slider, though he will occasionally throw in a high-70s curveball.
For Hanshin, the hope is that Severino can help stabilize a bullpen that has been shakier than expected this season. After an ironclad relief corps helped carry the Tigers to the pennant last year, Hanshin ranks just 10th in NPB in bullpen ERA this season, though the peripheral numbers are more forgiving.
An injury to star setup man Daichi Ishii and underwhelming performances from Masaki Oyokawa and Takuma Kirishiki have been among the main culprits, while new import Dauri Moreta has been on the farm since early May following a string of rough outings.
The Tigers are currently locked in a heated three-way race for the Central League pennant alongside the Yomiuri Giants and Tokyo Yakult Swallows, sitting at 37-31-1.
This is a 2026 photo of Anderson Severino of the New York Mets baseball team. This image reflects the Mets’ active roster as of Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
