NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo Pref. (Kyodo) The Hanshin Tigers want veteran outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto to stay with the team for at least another year, club president Nobuo Minami said Sunday.
"We'll ask him to play for us again next year," Minami said as the Tigers were eliminated by the Yomiuri Giants in the first stage of the Central League Climax Series.
The 42-year-old Kanemoto, who holds the world record for most consecutive full-inning games played at 1,492, finished his eighth season with the Tigers and is eligible for free agency.
Kanemoto joined Hanshin from the Hiroshima Carp after the 2002 season.
The 2005 CL MVP played all 144 games this past season and extended his consecutive appearance streak to 1,763 — second on the all-time list in Japan to Sachio Kinugasa's 2,215.