Ex-Mets, Padres 4.15 ERA swingman leaves MLB to pitch in Japan

A former New York Mets swingman has left Major League Baseball in an attempt to start a playing career in Japan. According to Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, Nippon Professional Baseball's Chiba Lotte Marines recently announced that they've signed left-hander Joey Lucchesi. Luchessi played parts of three seasons with the Mets, missing the entire 2022 season due to injury. This season, the 33-year-old threw 3.1 innings for the Los Angeles Angels and gave up five earned runs on seven hits. Los Angeles granted his release earlier this month. Lucchesi transitions to NPB"He’ll spend the remainder of the season in Japan — likely earning more than he’d have secured on a minor league deal in North America — and reassess his market in the offseason," Adams wrote Friday.MORE: Blue Jays could do som