TOKYO — Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be allowed to move to a Major League Baseball team under the player posting system, the Orix Buffaloes said Sunday after the team lost Game 7 of the Japan Series to the Hanshin Tigers.
The ace pitcher has been widely reported to be ready to move to MLB and is expected to be a top target.
“I’d like to thank my team for accepting my request,” Yamamoto was quoted by Japan’s Kyodo news agency as saying after Orix lost 7-1 on Sunday.
Yamamoto pitched two games during the Japan Series — the World Series equivalent for Japanese baseball. He allowed seven earned runs in Game 1 but came back in Game 6 and struck out 14 — a series record.
The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher has a 70-29 record in Japanese baseball. His trademark is his wide assortment of breaking pitches, excellent command and a fastball in the mid-90 mph range.
He was 16-6 this season with a 1.21 ERA. He struck out 169 in 164 innings.