Baseball / Japanese Baseball

Outfielder Oswaldo Arcia joins Fighters

Kyodo

Former major league outfielder Oswaldo Arcia will play for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters next season, the team announced Friday.

Arcia, who played for the Reno Aces, the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate this past season, signed a one-year contract with the Fighters worth about ¥130 million ($1.16 million).

The 26-year-old Venezuelan played three seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2013-15), hitting 20 home runs in 2014. The left-handed batter appeared in 288 games in the majors, batting .235 with 44 home runs and 131 RBIs.

“I got the left-handed power hitter I’ve been waiting for,” Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama said. “Our lineup just got a lot stronger.”

LATEST BASEBALL STORIES

Tatsunori Hara speaks at a news conference on Tuesday, where he was introduced as Yomiuri Giants manager for the third time.
Tatsunori Hara takes over as Giants manager for third time
The saga of Japan's most storied pro baseball team took a new twist on Tuesday, when former Tatsunori Hara rejoined the Yomiuri Giants as skipper for the third time. The 60-year-old Hara,...
Former Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara is expected to officially accept a return to the position on Tuesday.
Former skipper Tatsunori Hara appears poised to rejoin Giants
Former Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara appeared ready Monday to return to the club as manager next year. Hara, who has been asked by the Central League club to manage next season's...
Hawks outfielder Yuki Yanagita was named the Pacific League Climax Series Final Stage MVP after driving in eight runs against the Lions.
Hawks' excellence in execution results in trip to Japan Series
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks scripted a masterpiece in the final stage of the Pacific League Climax Series. The Seibu Lions entered the series having dethroned the Hawks as Pacific League ...

,