MIAMI, Florida — Japanese slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo has signed a two-year Major League Baseball deal worth $12 million with the Tampa Bay Rays, the club announced on Monday.

The Rays will also pay his former club, the Yokohama BayStars, a 20 percent release fee of about $2.4 million for the rights to the 28-year-old outfielder, who is projected as a designated hitter for Tampa Bay.

Tsutsugo, a left-handed batter, has smashed a combined 139 home runs over the past four Japan League seasons. In 2016, he was the Japan League All-Star Game Most Valuable Player and led the Central League with 44 homers and 110 runs batted in.

Tsutsugo could handle either right or left field and is a potential reserve third baseman for the Rays behind Yandy Diaz.

The Rays are also among the Major League Baseball clubs linked to Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama, along with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs.

Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen called Akiyama "a very impressive person" after a meeting last week. — AFP