Kazuhiro Hatakeyama, who led the Central League in RBIs last season, will spend the rest of this season rehabilitating, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows announced Saturday.
The 33-year-old first baseman, who reached career highs in home runs (26) and RBIs (105) to help propel the Swallows to their first pennant since 2001, has been receiving treatment on his left wrist as well as for chronic pain in his right Achilles tendon.
In June, Hatakeyama suffered a bone bruise to the hamate bone in the base of his left hand that was expected to take two months to heal. After leading the league in RBIs last season, Hatakeyama's 2016 start was delayed by lower back pain.
In 45 games, he has batted .245 with one home run and 18 RBIs.