Players who became free contracts from professional baseball teams were announced on the 2nd, and giants such as Dai-Kang Yang and pitcher Kazuhisa Makita of Rakuten became free contracts.
On the 2nd, a list of pending players who are expected to sign contracts for 12 professional baseball teams next season and 144 players who have become free contracts outside of that list were announced.
Among the players who became free contracts, 34-year-old Yang was the final year of the five-year contract with the giant, and according to the team, he planned to renew the contract, but "Next season will challenge on a new stage. There was an offer to do it, "and it became a free contract.
Rakuten's 37-year-old pitcher Kazuhisa Makita, who returned to the Japanese baseball world from the United States last season, commented through the team, saying, "I think I can still do more with my body and feelings, so I want to continue playing."
In addition, Nippon-Ham has a free contract with Haruki Nishikawa, Taishi Ota, and Ryo Akiyoshi, who have acquired the rights of free agents.
The team said, "As a result of discussions with the three players, we have chosen to be a non-tender who respects the rights acquired by the players and does not present a contract," but there is still the possibility of re-contracting.
Looking at foreign players, it was decided that Hanshin's Suarez, who won the most saves in the Central League for the second consecutive year, will be transferred to the Padres of the Major League Baseball.
Orix, the Pacific League champion, hit 282 home runs in the major leagues, hit the final home run in the 5th round of the Japan Series, and pitched Higgins in 90 games in two years, marking 47 holds. Four foreign players have become free contracts.