The Hanshin Tigers said Friday they have reached an agreement to acquire Samsung Lions pitcher Oh Seung-hwan for next season.
The 31-year-old righthander is the all-time saves leader in South Korean pro baseball with 277 and has represented his country at the World Baseball Classic.
"The terms (of the deal) were good right from the start and I am grateful to Hanshin for their interest in me," Oh said in a statement released by Hanshin.
With Kyuji Fujikawa having moved to the Chicago Clubs in the major leagues, Hanshin were unable to fill the void with a regular closer this past season.
Hanshin general manager Katsuhiro Nakamura, who has been monitoring Oh, said "There is a different atmosphere (about Oh) when he takes to the mound."