While some NPB teams, such as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, may scoff at the posting system, don't count the Seibu Lions among them.
The Lions have used the posting system more than any other NPB team so far, and put pitcher Kazuhisa Makita up for bid just this season. Makita, who was 53-49 with 25 saves in seven seasons with the Lions, was acquired by the San Diego Padres on Saturday, who will pay Seibu a posting fee of $500,000.
Makita is the fifth player Seibu has made available through the posting system. The first came in 2005, when the team posted pitcher Shinji Mori, who was Makita's pitching coach from 2016 until his passing due to organ failure in June of 2017. Mori was signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but never appeared in an MLB game after injuring his shoulder during spring training.