When the Rockies signed Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之), it came a surprise to many Colorado Rockies fans. The 36-year-old veteran was signed to bring leadership to a young pitching staff, which he has done quite well. However, coming to Major League Baseball just one year prior was something that he had been wanting for a long time after a storied career in Japan with Nippon Professional Baseball.
“The number one thing was that I didn’t want to regret looking back on my career, so that was the main decision
factoring in,” Sugano said through interpreter Yuto Sakurai.
Heading into his decision, he did seek out other Japanese players to gain insights into their experiences before committing. Specifically, he spoke with Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda.
“They both mentioned that the big leagues is a tough place, but it’d be a really good experience,” he said.
And he has noticed some differences between the NPB and MLB.
“To me, everything has been different,” he said, “starting with the schedule and what the organization expects for each and every player and their ability. So in my mind, everything has been different between the two leagues.”
Sugano signed with the Baltimore Orioles in December 2024, and he made 30 starts for them in 2025. In total, Sugano went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 157 innings. However, he was also tagged for 33 home runs, which led the league.
“I think I was playing pretty well, especially the first part of the season,” he said. “In June, I kind of collapsed and realized how tough it was to pitch in the big leagues. I don’t really have too much [that surprised me], but I try to not think too far ahead. I try not to expect anything.”
So far in 2026, Sugano has been fairly steady.
He has made 23 starts, and has a 12-7 record with a 4.96 ERA, 1.332 WHIP and 0.3 fWAR (T-8th). Some of that has been inflated over his last two starts, which have not been great. On Sunday, he set a lot of dubious records, including a career-low-tying three innings pitched and a career-high 45 pitches in the first inning. In his previous start on August 17th, Sugano threw five innings but allowed seven runs (six earned). He had not allowed more than three runs in each of his last five starts. Those two starts bumped up his ERA from 4.43 to 4.96, and his WHIP from 1.25 to 1.32.
One thing that Sugano has had to contend with, like all Rockies players, is the altitude. But he’s been making adjustments, and actually has fairly even home/road splits.
In 12 home games, Sugano has a 7-5 record and a 5.00 ERA; in 11 road games, he has a 5-2 record and a 4.91 ERA. He also has a 1.33 WHIP at home and a 1.30 WHIP on the road. But he had trouble narrowing down one specific adjustment he’s made to account for the altitude.
“When I start speaking about one thing, there’s unlimited things that I can talk about,” he said. “But I guess the number one thing is I try to study the opposing hitters. And pitching in Denver is different from pitching away in different fields, so try to make that adjustment as soon as possible.”
But the biggest thing Sugano has noticed about the Rockies is how supportive the staff is, which has been echoed by many players.
“Everybody has been supportive, starting with Schaeff,” he said. “And I know the coaching staff is really you, but I think they’re trying their best and they’ve been really supportive as a whole.”
And he is most excited to “get as many wins as possible” to finish 2026.
“I want to be supportive both on and off the field,” he continued, “so whatever I can do to support this team and get any type of win.”
But if nothing else, Sugano has enjoyed his time in Denver and even made a stop at Elitch Gardens. Sugano is a well-known theme park enthusiast, making sure to seek out amusement parks in their different stops if time allows for it (he made sure to ride New York New York in Las Vegas).
His favorite part of the Denver park?
“The turkey leg that they were selling,” he said. “It was super expensive, so I was surprised by that. We didn’t really go on that many rides to have a comparison with each other. One of them was a free fall, and the other one was a roller coaster. It was probably like the scariest one there.”
It’s hard to say where Sugano will play in 2027, but he has at least provided some stability for most of this up-and-down 2026 season when the rotation desperately needed it.
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