Norichika Aoki Stats
- Height / Weight
- 5' 9" / 180 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 1/5/1982 (42)
- Experience
- 6
- College
- Waseda (Japan)
Norichika Aoki Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Norichika Aoki News
The New York Mets and Norichika Aoki agreed upon a free agent deal on Saturday. Aoki, recently released by the Toronto Blue Jays, is expected to join the Mets in time for the second game of their doubleheader today. The Mets needed to add outfield depth after trading Curtis Granderson and losing Michael Conforto to injury. Aoki has hit .274 with five home runs in 83 games with the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays.
Norichika Aoki has been acquired by the Blue Jays for starter Francisco Liriano, per mlb.com. Aoki and minor leaguer Teoscar Hernandez have been packaged to bring long-time starter Liriano to Houston in a move that bolsters the Astros pitching depth. It will be interesting to see how Liriano will be used by the Astros, a starter whose ERA is 5.88 and has struggled with control issues his whole career. Aoki isn't a fantasy asset but a quality depth outfielder that is hitting .272 this season with 19 runs batted in through 202 at-bats. Liriano will most likely pitch in the bullpen and support Francis Martes with long relief duties and Aoki will slip right back into his role as a rotational outfielder for Toronto. The move, however, depreciates Liriano's fantasy stock even more than it already was.
Norichika Aoki went 3-for-5 with two doubles in the Astros win on Thursday. Aoki has had a nice month to this point, hitting .326 through 43 at-bats in June. Aoki's role is to come off the bench and provide some strong at-bats as a rotational outfielder for Houston. His .348 slugging is all you need to know about Aoki's power potential and is best suited as a fourth outfielder. Aoki is hitting .329 in 79 at-bats on the road this season but Aoki has neither the potential or the playing time to be fantasy viable.