OSAKA (Kyodo) Infielder Takahiro Arai on Friday put pen to paper on a renewed deal with the Hanshin Tigers worth an estimated ¥200 million in annual salary plus performance-related bonuses.
Arai made a strong contribution to the team in the first half of the season but missed several league games from mid-July because of intervertebral joint inflammation.
The veteran represented Japan at this year's Beijing Olympics but was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back upon returning home and was sidelined until the end of September.