Home Baseball On This Day in Dodger History: Fred McGriff and Hideo Nomo Signed

On This Day in Dodger History: Fred McGriff and Hideo Nomo Signed

Baseball — 12/21/2023

Hideo Nomo, the first player in Major League Baseball to be born in Japan, is part of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ historic tradition of signing foreign players.

Thanks to a provision in the Japanese Uniform Players Contract that permitted him to retire freely and play for any team upon his return to active status, Nomo was first signed by the Dodgers on February 13, 1995.

The Kintetsu Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball were where Nomo played for the previous five seasons. However, he left the team to pursue a Major League career due to a contract dispute with the management. The Dodgers offered Nomo a minor league contract with a $2 million bonus.

On May 2, 1995, Nomo made his Major League Baseball debut. He later won the title of National League Rookie of the Year. He played for the Dodgers until the 1998 season, when he and Brad Clontz were dealt for Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael by the New York Mets.

On December 20, 2001, Nomo signed a two-year, $13.75 million contract in free agency, marking his comeback to the Dodgers. Nomo pitched for the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Mets following the trade and before he returned.

He had just finished the 2001 season as the American League’s strikeout leader with 220.

Before faltering in 2004, Nomo’s second stint with the Dodgers began strongly. He pitched reasonably effectively in back-to-back seasons. He made 85 starts over the course of the three seasons, going 36-30 overall with a 4.05 ERA and 1.36 WHIP.

With a 3.74 ERA, Nomo’s career record with the Dodgers was 81-66 overall.

Signing Fred McGriff, DodgersTo fill the gap at first base, Fred McGriff was signed to a one-year contract in 2002, another historic day in Dodgers history.

A few weeks prior, the Dodgers had traded Todd Hundley and Chad Hermansen to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek, creating a vacancy at the position.

In his lone season with the Dodgers, McGriff batted.249/.322/.428 with 40 RBI, 13 home runs, and 14 doubles. Before retirement, he was a player for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004.