The Japanese pro baseball executive committee decided Monday to accept the proposed merger between the Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave after the two clubs reached a basic agreement on the deal early last week.
Alex Cabrera of the Seibu Lions, who suffered a fractured right arm during the preseason, grounds out against Orix in his first at-bat of the season at Seibu Dome on Monday.
An executive committee of Pacific and Central league teams gave the proposed deal the green light after the parties involved explained the details of a merger that would reduce the number of teams in the Pacific League to five.