The Orix Buffaloes on Wednesday announced the acquisition of outfielder Ryoma Nishikawa, who was second in the Central League with a .305 batting average for the Hiroshima Carp this year.
The 28-year-old's new contract is believed to be worth ¥1.2 billion ($8.04 million) or more for four years. Orix has been in search of a productive hitter who can play outfield since Masataka Yoshida left for the Boston Red Sox after the 2022 season.
Nishikawa, one of Japan's most sought-after free agents this offseason, also had a team-high 56 RBIs in his eighth year with the Carp.
"I want to play in the Pacific League," the left-handed hitter said. "I'm interested in knowing how well I can do."
The Buffaloes will be looking to win their fourth consecutive PL title next year. They won the Japan Series in 2022 but lost at the final stage in 2021 and 2023.