Nippon-Ham Fighters pitcher Nao Miyanishi stated on the 7th that he will not exercise his free agent rights and will remain with the team. He said that he has reached a basic agreement with the team and will hold a press conference again when he officially signs a contract.
The left-handed pitcher, who became the fourth player in history to reach 900 appearances, pitched in 31 games this season, recording one win, one loss, 12 hold, and ERA of 3.20. He made a strong presence, especially in the first half of the season, with some excellent relief appearances at crucial moments.
Miyanishi said, "It has been decided for sure today that I will not become a free agent and will continue to play for The Fighters next season. Details such as the signature will be decided at a later date, and I will hold a proper press conference at that time." When asked if he had thought about becoming a free agent, he laughed and said, "Do I think about it? No, I don't."
The veteran, who will turn 41 next season, revealed his true feelings, saying, "I've been pitching in the first team for a long time, so I haven't been able to compete for a full year, and because of my age, I've been under contract for a long time, so I'm struggling with the question of when to retire. When the time comes to be removed from the roster, I feel depressed. Over the past few years, every time I've been removed from the roster, I've felt like it was time to retire." He continued with a refreshing look on his face, "If I've come this far, I'll wait until my elbow breaks. It would be great if I could go that far. I want to go out in a good mood."
He accompanied the team in a coaching role from the end of this season through the postseason. "I got to experience firsthand how hard the coaching staff, including the pitcher coach and manager, work. It was a good learning experience that I think will come in handy next season," he said, while also revealing his undying fighting spirit, saying, "Seeing the young guys fight so well in that CS made me want to pitch, and it made me feel frustrated, so it made me realize once again that I still have the motivation."
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・ Nippon-Ham Fighters' Kazunari Ishii will exercise his free agent rights on the 7th. He is a large infielder who has batted in all batting order from 1st to 9th this season, and has ample experience playing second base, shortstop, and third base.
・ The Dodgers officially announce they have exercised Muncy's contract option for next season. If he stays, what will happen to the acquisition of Munetaka Murakami?
・ Nippon-Ham Nao Miyanishi will continue playing next season. The iron-armed pitcher, who boasts 900 appearances in the NPB, will remain a player for the 19th season.
