Kensuke Tanaka, an offensive and defensive spark plug for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters for the past seven seasons, announced Tuesday he would file for free agency and pursue a career in the major leagues.
The left-handed-hitting second baseman burst on to the scene in 2006, when the Fighters won their first Japan Series title in Sapporo and has a career batting average of .286 with 161 stolen bases.
The 31-year-old, who has five Golden Gloves, made his home at Sapporo Dome, one of Japan's best pitcher's parks. He has scored 524 runs with 325 RBIs in 1,079 games.