Yomiuri Giants hurler Koji Uehara will exercise his right to become a free agent in the hope of playing in the major leagues next season.
"I will pursue the challenge of playing in the major leagues," Uehara said Monday. "I have struggled at times but my motivation to play in the majors has remained the same."
The 33-year-old right-hander has spent his entire career in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants, where he posted a 112-62 record with a 3.01 ERA over 10 seasons.