Baseball

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki announced on Thursday his intent to play for Japan’s national team in the World Baseball Classic next March. The 28-year-old is the third Japanese MLB player committed to taking part in the tournament, joining two-way star Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels and San […]

Superstar slugger Aaron Judge has agreed to a Major League Baseball record nine-year deal worth $360 million to return to the New York Yankees, according to multiple reports on Wednesday. The 30-year-old U.S. free agent outfielder, who smashed an American League record 62 home runs last season, had rejected a […]

San Diego – Hideki Kuriyama, Japan’s manager for the World Baseball Classic, said Tuesday he is pondering whether Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani should pitch at next March’s tournament, hit, or do both. “Basically, I’m thinking he should be able to do both,” Hideki Kuriyama told a press […]

San Diego – Hideki Kuriyama, Japan’s manager for the World Baseball Classic, said Tuesday he is pondering whether Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani should pitch at next March’s tournament, hit, or do both. “Basically, I’m thinking he should be able to do both,” Hideki Kuriyama told a press […]

San Diego – Masataka Yoshida, a two-time Pacific League batting champion, has agreed to a five-year, $90 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, MLB.com reported Wednesday, citing a source. “The Red Sox made their first major counter move to the rival Yankees, agreeing to a five-year, $90 million deal […]

Yu Darvish will join fellow MLB star Shohei Ohtani in committing to play for Japan in March’s World Baseball Classic (WBC), the San Diego Padres pitcher said in a Twitter post Monday. The 36-year-old Darvish was a member of Japan’s second WBC championship team in 2009. Since then, Samurai Japan […]

The San Francisco Giants have made a massive $360 million offer to Aaron Judge, the New York Post reported Tuesday. The report also says the “assumption/belief among rivals” is that the New York Yankees are still the favorites to re-sign the free agent slugger. The last offer on the table […]

Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture – Major League Baseball has accepted the Hanshin Tigers’ application to post right-handed pitcher Shintaro Fujinami, the Japanese club said Thursday. Fujinami, who was two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s rival when they were in high school, will have until 5 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 14 to complete […]

The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles announced the signing of former Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies infielder Maikel Franco as an overseas free agent for the next Nippon Professional Baseball season on Thursday. The 30-year-old, right-handed hitter from the Dominican Republic has hit 130 home runs in a nine-year major league […]

Yokohama – Yokohama DeNA BayStars closer Yasuaki Yamasaki signed a six-year contract with the Central League club Tuesday after deciding not to seek a move to the major leagues through the posting system. The latest deal pays him an estimated ¥300 million ($2.16 million) a year, without a clause that […]