The Saitama Seibu Lions announced on Wednesday that Zach Neal will be returning for the 2020 season. This is the first time a foreign pitcher returns for the following year for a second full season since Esmerling Vasquez.
According to Nikkan, this is a two-year contract. The last time a Lions starting pitcher stayed in a rotation role without moving to the bullpen for more than one year, it was Chris Gissell (2006-2007). Alex Graman was also a starter, but remembered for his dominant closer season in 2008.
"This year's work [from Neal] was wonderful," General Manager Hisaobu "Nabe-Q" Watanabe said. "It is worth a multi-year contract for the team. He has been learning Japanese baseball and has a respect for it. I have been negotiating with Neal since the end of the season."
Neal, who will turn 31 next month, had a dominant second half of 2019 which had an 11-game win streak and the Lions did not lose any of the 13 regular season starts he played in. In September, he was named Pacific League pitching MVP with a 4-0 record and a 0.67 ERA while having zero walks.
He finished 2019 with a 2.87 ERA and a 12-1 record in 100.1 innings of work. It wasn't all roses for Neal at the start, when he played through an injury in the first four appearances. He was sent to ni-gun for 40 days and learned several tips and tricks to Japanese baseball from the coaches.
His strikeout ratio is not flashy (4.6 K / 9 IP), but he learned to be crafty at drawing the ground ball while Sosuke Genda and Shuta Tonosaki were behind him on the infield. Neal's biggest strength has been control, where he still throws strikes and avoids walking batters.
The Lions have marketed Neal with a player towel available when the postseason started. Neal himself has also continued to learn the Japanese language as shown in his hero interviews with "Azaaasu" あざーす (Thanks) being his big line.
Earlier in the season, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman were making comparisons to Miles Mikolas and how Neal had potential to return to MLB. By signing this contract before leaving Japan, Neal put an end to any rumors and even gave his word in a news article as shown below.
西武・ニール様— びぃぜっとぉ (@bz1988921lmlove) October 15, 2019
「僕の投球スタイルは日本がベストだと思う。外国人選手の中にはメジャーに戻るために日本で結果を残そうと思っている選手もいるだろうけど僕はそのために日本に来たわけではないよ。西武が僕にチャンスを与えてくれた。複数年での契約延長を望んでいる。心配しないで！」 pic.twitter.com/TxZUTKuEu2
Unlike Mikolas, who came to Japan in his late 20s, Neal will likely finish his baseball playing career in Japan like Kris Johnson and most recently Randy Messenger. MLB teams likely don't see upside in a pitcher who will be 31 next year and the offers would not have been as easy.
It's also clear Neal likes being in Japan while as said in an interview that he was seeking a job in Asia as early as 2015. The Oakland Athletics blocked Neal from signing with a KBO team in Korea by placing him on their 40-man roster in the past.
On the eve of the 2019 NPB Draft, the Lions got one part of business out of the way and can now move forward without being distracted by Neal receiving other offers.
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Other note:
Ernesto Mejia's sayonara to end the 2019 regular season at home was named the Pacific League's Sayonara of the month for September. If anyone missed it, here was the hit.
Mejia also had a reaction to receiving this award.
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