Submarine right-hander Shunsuke Watanabe said Monday he will try to earn a major league job for next season.
The 37-year-old stalwart for the Pacific League's Lotte Marines played for Japan in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics. Although he has the right to file for free agency, the club will grant him his release so he can pursue offers from overseas.
Watanabe has thrived on being unique. His underhand fastball maxes out around 129 kph but rises as it approaches the plate. He relies on pin-point accuracy and changing speeds with an 89-kph curveball that will knuckle in windy conditions.