4 reasons the Cleveland Guardians should sign outfielder Seiya Suzuki

1. It’ll be an affordable contract

By all accounts, Suzuki stands to get a contract somewhere around $55-60 million for five years. Though it’s risky to be tied to a five-year deal for a guy who has never played in the majors, Suzuki has an incredible pedigree in Japan that makes it worth rolling the dice, especially at around $10-12 million a year.

Any team signing Suzuki would also owe the Carp 20% of the contract’s first $25 million, 17.5% of the next $25 million, and 15% of anything after that, meaning a $55 million deal ultimately becomes a total of about $65 million to the signing team.

Still a really incredible deal!

2. Suzuki immediately slots into the middle of the order

Suzuki could easily be the Guardians’ cleanup hitter on day one. And though he has prodigious power numbers, Suzuki fits the type of player Cleveland is trying to fill their lineup with: he makes great contact, limits the strikeouts and gets on base a ton. The 30+ home runs a year is the icing on the cake, especially when he’d be hitting behind another 30-homer threat in third baseman Jose Ramirez.

It’s been said that NPB talent falls somewhere between Triple-A and the majors, and while that doesn’t always translate to a player’s MLB success, it puts Suzuki in a good position to contribute right away. He’s just too talented, grades too well, and has too good an eye at the plate.

3. It sets the tone for the Guardians era

Cleveland’s front office has made it clear that the team intends to spend money this offseason as it works its way up to a higher payroll over the next few years, assuming the team begins to make its mark as a potential contender.

While some of that money will likely go to retaining existing players (and extending guys like Ramirez or Franmil Reyes if we’re lucky), there is, uh, clearly plenty of room for the Guardians to look outside the organization. While there could very well be a trade on the horizon for this team after the lockout, the Guardians aren’t priced out of every free agent, despite what some people on social media might tell you.

A signing like Suzuki would go a long way to helping the Guardians change the public perception of the team and to get a considerable amount of buy-in from a cranky fan base that is now going to be even crankier after this work stoppage. If Cleveland really wants to turn the page as an organization and leave the past in the dust to some extent, this would be one big way to do it.

4. What do the Guardians really have to lose?

Even if Suzuki signs a five-year deal and doesn’t become an absolute force in the majors – even if he becomes a serviceable bat in the lineup and dependable in the outfield… what’s the problem here? That might be an oversimplification, but he’s young, talented, and fills a variety of glaring deficiencies on the Guardians.

It’s just all too clear that this is a move Cleveland should make.