Eri Yoshida, the first Japanese female pro baseball player, has left her independent league club indefinitely, citing health reasons.
"I've had a stomachache since yesterday. I think it's something to do with my mental state," the Kobe 9 Cruise knuckleballer said Thursday, a day after the team fired manager Yoshihiro Nakada.
"His dismissal caught me by surprise. I couldn't accept it in my heart," Yoshida added at Shin-Osaka station on the way to her home in Yokohama.
The 17-year-old has not pitched since her fourth appearance on June 28 in the Kansai Independent League's inaugural season.
She has been limited to a total of two innings over four outings due in part to a sore right shoulder.
"I'll continue to play baseball. I don't know when I'll return to Kobe, but I'll try to come back as soon as possible," Yoshida said.