Report: Athletics Considering Signing Former Red Sox Reliever Hideki Okajima

by Ricky Doyle on Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 12:13PM

Hideki Okajima had a rather peculiar MLB career, sometimes looking unhittable and other times looking like garbage. It might not be time for us to get off the roller coaster just yet.

The Oakland A’s are considering signing Okajima, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Okajima, who turned 37 on Christmas Day, spent 2012 pitching in Japan, where he first made a name for himself in the early 2000s. The left-hander pitched 47 2/3 innings in 56 games for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of the Japan Pacific League, and compiled a nifty 0.94 ERA and 0.84 WHIP along the way.

Okajima was a pleasant surprise out of the Red Sox’ bullpen upon arriving to the major leagues in 2007. He was an All-Star in his first season, and then proved to be a fairly valuable pitcher for the club over the next two seasons as well. The lefty then struggled in 2010, though, and spent his 2011 season split between the Red Sox and Triple-A Pawtucket.

Okajima signed with the Softbank Hawks prior to last season after he was released by the Yankees following a failed physical.

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Photo via Flickr/Keith Allison