5x MLB All-Star Adam Jones opts to play in Japan with NPB's Oryx Buffaloes

5x MLB All-Star Adam Jones opts to play in Japan with NPB's Oryx Buffaloes
24/01/2020
Adam Jones, the 35-year old former All-Star, has signed a US$8 million contract that may prove worth $15.5 million if he hits all incentives.

Five-time Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Adam Jones has opted to play in Japan, reportedly passing up offers from major league teams.

"Well it's that time in my career and life," said Jones. "My family and I had to make a huge decision, and so that is what we have done".

These are the words that Jones used back in December to announce that he agreed to a two-year, US$ 8 million contract with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). The deal comes with a club option for 2022 and could be worth as much as $15.5 million if Jones reaches all his incentives.

"Major League Baseball has been amazing to me and my family," added Jones. "We had an incredible run from the day I signed in 2003 to my final at-bat last year. It's been the greatest 12 years and 139 days a person could ask for. The game has provided me with an incredible living and has borne many fruits and hardware throughout the years. A lot to be proud of, that's for sure."

Jones was born in 1985 in San Diego, California. He made his MLB debut in 2006 with the Seattle Mariners before playing for the Baltimore Orioles from 2008 to 2018, becoming one of the biggest stars in the business. He is a five-time All-Star and a four-time Gold Glove as a centerfielder. In 2019 Jones appeared in 137 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jones was also one of the key players on the USA National Team that won the World Baseball Classic 2017 after hitting home runs against Venezuela and Puerto Rico and literally robbing Manny Machado, then his teammate with the Baltimore Orioles, of a home run in an elimination game against the Dominican Republic.

The catch is portrayed in the cover picture, courtesy of USA Today.

It is worth noting that the NPB, the biggest sports league in Japan, will suspend its season for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, so Jones could be available for the USA National Team, provided that the Americans qualify.

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