The 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox are one of the major league teams becoming increasingly involved with Japanese baseball as evidenced by the recent signing of Japanese pitcher Denney Tomori and an agreement to send two coaches and two players from the BoSox organization to join the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks spring training camp next week.

Tomori, 37, exercised his right to file for free agency following an 18-year Japan pro baseball career with the Yokohama BayStars and Seibu Lions and signed with Boston last month for a reported $315,000 in salary and incentives, plus a signing bonus of $200,000.

The Okinawa native, son of a Japanese mother and American father, had compiled a record of 18-28 with the BayStars (two tours) and Lions, and he racked up 30 saves. Most of his experience has been in a relief role.