NEWSWORTHY
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks pitcher Kodai Senga said Wednesday he has made no progress in persuading the Pacific League club to let him move to the major leagues. The right-hander, who turned 26 on Wednesday, has asked the two-time defending Japan Series champions to make him ...
Yusei Kikuchi's move shows revised posting system not great for NPB clubs
Why would an NPB team post its best players now? If the going rate for someone like Yusei Kikuchi, one of the best pitchers in Japan, is only just over $10 million, how long before NPB clubs see the value in just keeping their top ...
Lions GM Haruhiko Suzuki denies pitcher Yusei Kikuchi poised for posting
The Seibu Lions general manager denied Thursday that the club is poised to part with hard-throwing lefty Yusei Kikuchi this autumn. Haruhiko Suzuki responded brusquely to speculation on MLB.com that Kikuchi may be made available to major league teams through the posting system after this ...
Shohei Otani expected to sign with MLB team before end of year
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters two-way talent Shohei Otani will sign his first contract with a major league club by the end of the year, a source familiar with the matter told Kyodo News Wednesday. According to the source, the new posting system will take effect ...
MLB hopeful of having new posting agreement in place by early December
Major League Baseball hopes to put a new posting system agreement with Japan in place by early December, a deal that would allow star pitcher-designated hitter Shohei Otani to start negotiations with big league teams. MLB Chief Legal Officer Dan Halem said a new framework ...
Shohei Otani speaks of desire to become world's best with move to MLB
After weeks of others speculating about his future, Shohei Otani, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' captivating two-way superstar, finally had his say. It's not money pulling him toward the major leagues, nor the pursuit of renown. The 23-year-old star simply wants to become the best ...
Fighters grant Shohei Otani's wish to pursue move to major leagues
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters said Friday they will allow Shohei Otani to use the posting system this offseason to try to land a deal with a major league team. "Everyone in our ballclub accepts his thoughts," Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama told a news conference ...
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters star Shohei Otani, who is expected to move to the majors this offseason through the posting system, has chosen Nez Balelo as his agent, a source said Tuesday. Balelo has also represented outfielder Norichika Aoki, who has played for seven big ...
The Seibu Lions will approve of submarine right-hander Kazuhisa Makita's wish to make himself available to the U.S. market through the posting system, the Pacific League club said Monday. Lions director Haruhiko Suzuki said the club will respond favorably to the 32-year-old's request to use ...
Hokkaido Nippon Ham's two-way star Shohei Otani will undergo surgery on his right ankle in Tokyo on Thursday, the Fighters said. Otani, 23, will have keyhole surgery to treat a posterior impingement, according to his club. The slugging ace initially suffered the injury while running the ...
Fighters ace Shohei Otani lives up to expectations in Japan
Shohei Otani has lived up to the hype. Just as Bryce Harper in MLB and LeBron James in the NBA, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters star pitcher/DH not only entered the professional ranks to outsized expectations, he actually met them. He's every bit the prodigious ...
Otani dazzles in likely last start before heading to majors
The real Shohei Otani made his first appearance of the season on the last day of baseball at Sapporo Dome this year. It may have also been his final time on an NPB mound. Five years after he first set hearts aflutter on Japan's northernmost ...
