The Yakult Swallows announced Monday they have signed 33-year-old infielder Akinori Iwamura, who will return to the club for the first time since 2006.

Iwamura, who suffered a calf injury in March and a thigh injury in September, was released following a season in which he batted .209 in 26 games for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Iwamura has 1,119 career hits and 189 homers in Japan after signing out of high school as the Swallows' second-round draft pick in 1996.

Iwamura played three seasons for the Tampa Bay Rays, who acquired him ahead of the 2007 season through the posting system. A winner of six Central League Golden Glove Awards at third base, Iwamura became the Rays' second baseman in 2008, the year they won the American League pennant. He finished his big league career in 2010 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics. Iwamura batted .267 with a .345 on-base percentage and 16 homers over four major league seasons.