Norichika Aoki has only been a member of the Toronto Blue Jays for a little more than 24 hours, but franchise folk hero Munenori Kawasaki has already reached out to welcome him to his new team.
With Kawasaki’s backing, it might only be a matter of time before Aoki becomes a fan favourite in Toronto. Kawasaki’s endorsement already seems to have resonated with manager John Gibbons.
Aoki was not in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox, but he was available off the bench. He slashed .272/.323/.371 in 71 games with the Houston Astros before being sent to Toronto in the Francisco Liriano trade.
Kawasaki is currently playing with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League.
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