The agent for right-hander Chihiro Kaneko, this year's Sawamura Award winner, has received an offer from the Central League's Hanshin Tigers that could be worth as much as ¥2 billion for four years, an informed source said Sunday.
Because Kaneko, a free agent this year after pitching for the Orix Buffaloes, indicated some interest in playing in the majors in the future, the Tigers are willing to consider posting the 31-year-old after a certain number of years. But the pitcher, who had surgery on Nov. 29 to remove torn cartilage from his pitching elbow, dodged questions about negotiations.
"As things stand, I can think of nothing but being fit enough to pitch and then pitching well for an entire season," Kaneko said. "I don't have the luxury of thinking about that (an offer)."