Washington Nationals starting pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara has been optioned to Triple-A Rochester. The left-hander signed a two-year, $3.5 million deal with the Nats this offseason. Before that, Ogasawara was posting solid numbers in Japan. This past season, Ogasawara 3.12 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 82/22 K/BB ratio across 24 appearances with the Chunichi Dragons. The expectation is that the 27-year-old will contribute to the Nats pitching staff at some point. For now, the Nats want him to continue getting in more work at the minor league level.

According to Jessica Camerato of MLB.com, Washington Nationals left-handed pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara performed very well in his first major league bullpen. Nationals pitching coach Jim Hickey noted that he was not only impressed that Ogasawara threw despite arriving to camp late at night but was also pleased with his performance. Hickey credited the shapes of pitches and his overall repertoire. After spending nine seasons with the Chunichi Dragons in Japan, Ogasawara signed a two-year contract with the Nationals earlier in the offseason. While Ogasawara is not a hard thrower, he is able to mix several different pitches in his arsenal. Ogasawara showed off his curveball and mixed in a fastball and changeup. Fantasy managers should expect the 27-year-old to compete for a spot in the starting rotation.