After spending six years playing in the Japanese professional baseball league, Matt Murton is currently attempting to make a comeback to the majors with the Chicago Cubs.
As Jerry Crasnick points out, Murton’s odds of landing a position with the Cubs as an outfielder are stacked against him. The Cubs have a crowded pool of outfielders, with Jason Heyward, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Jorger Soler, Shane Victorino, and Matt Szczur all vying for playing time, as well as a few other players in the organization who may be able to roam the outfield if asked.
Aside from having to compete for a spot with the Cubs, Murton also has to deal with the natural difficulties of having to readapt to the playing style of Major League Baseball. It has been six years since Murton has played in the majors, so it will definitely take some time to adjust.
Time will tell how successful the 34-year old Murton will be in his return, but how have other players fared?
Cecil Fielder
If you weren’t around when Cecil Fielder was a player, it’s hard to believe that he actually left MLB to play in Japan. However, early on his in MLB career, Fielder struggled as an everyday player, and decided to give Japan a shot in 1989.
Fielder would play for the Hanshin Tigers, where he was given an everyday starting spot batting cleanup in the lineup. Though wildly popular among fans who gave him the nickname “Wild Bear”, the Detroit Tigers were able to entice Cecil Fielder to sign for the 1990 season. Fielder would remain with the Tigers up until 1996, when he was traded to the Yankees, and would ultimately enjoy playing days until 1999.
Ryan Vogelsong
Ryan Vogelsong is another player who left MLB for Japan, and returned to be more successful than before. Pitching from 2000-2006 as a starter and a reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants, Vogelsong’s ERA was sky-high at 5.86.
After spending three years in Japan, Vogelsong returned to the major league level in 2011 with the Giants. Since returning, Vogelsong has won two World Series rings with San Francisco, and will be entering 2016 with the Pirates holding down a 4.67 ERA.
Everyone Else
While Fielder and Vogelsong may have given their careers fresh starts and boosts after playing in Japan, others have not seen the same results.
As FanGrapahs wrote in 2013, Vogelsong’s moderate success after returning to the majors has been something few MLB expatriates have seen upon attempting a return. At the time of their article, Fangraph’s counted at least 167 players who left and attempted a comeback. In terms of the Hall of Fame, Goose Gassage has been the only one so far to make it, likely because he had been successful in MLB prior to leaving.
Conclusively, playing in Japan and returning to the major league level successfully appears to be a matter of the timing of the departure. Fielder and Vogelsong had plenty of playing time left in their careers when they left and returned. If one leaves for Japan late in one’s career, one better have had a decent stat line prior, like Gossage, who already had a Hall of Fame career lined up before he left the majors at age 37.
Luckily for Murtin, he’s 34, and if he has anything going for him aside from his age, it’s that he broke Ichiro’s single season hit record while playing in Japan.
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