Kohei Arihara, a former Texas Rangers pitcher, is considering a return to Major League Baseball this winter after three seasons in Japan. The 33-year-old right-hander spent 2021 and 2022 with the Rangers but struggled with injuries and performance. Recent success in Nippon Professional Baseball has renewed interest in his potential MLB return.
Kohei Arihara, who pitched for the Texas Rangers in 2021 and 2022, may attempt a comeback to Major League Baseball this winter following three seasons in Japan. The news was reported by Yahoo Japan. Arihara, originally from Japan, began his professional career with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, where he threw his first six seasons before signing a two-year, $6.2 million contract with the Rangers five years ago.
His time with the Rangers was marked by underwhelming performance and injuries. In 2021, Arihara posted a 6.64 ERA, and in 2022, it rose to 9.45. A significant setback came from a long absence after an aneurysm was discovered in his shoulder.
Since returning to Japan, Arihara has thrived with the SoftBank Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball. Over the last three seasons, he has maintained a combined sub-3.00 ERA. At 33 years old, he has pitched more than 175 innings in each of the past two seasons, positioning him as a potential innings eater for an MLB team in need of starting pitching depth.
While not guaranteed, Arihara could attract interest as a low-risk option for clubs seeking rotation help. He is not expected to necessarily return to Texas.