By james art 
Congratulations to former Seattle Mariners shortstop Mike Ford, who just won a championship while playing in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Ford played with the Yokohama BayStars. He competed alongside former New York Yankees shortstop Tyler Austin.
Congratulations on the ex @yankees Mike Ford and Tyler Austin! Nippon League Champions. 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/KEKemkl1Fh
— JP_YankeesGirl (@90syankskid) November 4, 2024
Ford had signed a deal to go to Japan in July. He began the season with the Cincinnati Reds.
Ford spent parts of six years in the major leagues with the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Mariners, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels and Reds. He spent two different stints with the Mariners, appearing with them in 2022 and 2023. His 2023 tenure was memorable for fans because he provided much-needed punch to a lineup that missed the playoffs by just one game.
In 83 games for the 2023 M’s, he hit 16 homers and drove in 34 runs. He also had a couple of key home runs towards the end that fueled the wins as well. It was his most successful season in the Premier League and also represented the most games he has played with a team in a Premier League season.
He played in 17 games for Cincinnati this year and hit one home run while driving in four.
Still only 32 years old, he played 47 games in Japan, hitting .209 with nine homers and 32 RBI. At this point, it is unknown what he will do in 2025. He could return and seek a minor league deal in the States, or he could choose to stay in Japan, provided there is interest there.
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