Baseball: Red Sox sign Japanese pitcher Uwasawa from Tampa Bay

NEW YORK (Kyodo) — The Boston Red Sox have acquired Japanese pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations, both teams announced Wednesday.

The 30-year-old Uwasawa made the jump to the U.S. majors this offseason from the Pacific League’s Nippon Ham Fighters.

He signed a minor league contract with the Rays, but was informed he would not make the team and exercised a contract clause to seek a major league deal with another club.

Uwasawa struggled in four spring training games for the Rays, going 0-1 with a 13.03 ERA.

He joins outfielder Masataka Yoshida as a member of the Red Sox but is not expected to be part of their roster in time for Opening Day on Thursday, according to local media.