Nippon-Ham Fighters to Investigate Acquisition of Kohei Arihara, Inevitably Competing with The Giants and Other Japanese and American Teams | Pacific League

Nippon Nippon-Ham Fighters to Investigate Acquisition of Kohei Arihara, Ensuring Competition with Multiple Japanese and American Teams Including The Giants

Sports Hochi

2025.12.3(水) 05:00

The pending roster, which lists players who each professional baseball team can continue to exclusively target for contracts next season, and the free agents who were left off the roster were publicly announced on April 2. Nippon-Ham is now investigating the acquisition of Kohei Arihara pitcher (33), who became a free agent Softbank. The old team, where he spent six years before joining the Rangers via the posting system in the off-season of 2008, will try to acquire the right-hander, who won the most games for the second consecutive year.

The Shinjo-Ham Fighters are strengthening their starting lineup in their bid to win their first league championship in 10 years. The team has been keeping a close eye on Arihara throughout the season, and with him becoming a free agent today, they will begin full-scale investigations into acquiring him.

Arihara used the posting system during the offseason of 2020 to transfer from Nippon-Ham to the Rangers. In 2021, he underwent surgery on his right shoulder, and only managed three wins in two years in the majors. In 2023, he transferred to Softbank on a large three-year contract worth 1.5 billion yen, and his contract expires this season. His contract includes a clause that makes him a free agent upon expiration, and he was announced as a free agent on this day.

The addition of Arihara will be significant in defeating Softbank. While many young pitchers, including Kitayama, Tatsu, and Fukushima, have emerged in the starting lineup this season, only ace pitcher Ito, with 14 wins, has recorded double-digit win. With the addition of Arihara, who, along with Ito, won the most wins title for two consecutive years with 14 wins, the team's starting lineup will be stronger, and with his 101 wins in Japan and the US, he is expected to serve as a model for the younger pitchers. There's also the benefit of having a nemesis on their side, who allowed them two losses this season, including shutout game loss.

Although Arihara has not yet acquired overseas free agent rights, he intends to try again in the major leagues, and there will inevitably be a bidding war for him with multiple Japanese and American teams, including The Giants, who are also conducting an investigation. However, he has a strong attachment to his former team and Hokkaido, where he played for six years from joining the team until 2020, and depending on negotiations with other teams, there is a possibility that he may return to his former team.

Yakult The team announced the acquisition of Nishikawa, a veteran of the last championship in 2004, which would be a big boost for the team's first league championship in 10 years.

◆Koji, Kazuo, and Matsuzaka all return to their former teams The following are examples of players who transferred from a Japanese team to an overseas team, then returned to their original team via another Japanese team.

▽Kyuji Fujikawa (Hanshin Tigers → Cubs → Rangers → Kochi, Shikoku → Hanshin Tigers)

▽ Kazuo Matsui (Seibu → Mets → Rockies → Astros → Rakuten → Seibu)

▽Ryota Igarashi (Yakult → Mets → Blue Jays → Yankees → Softbank → Yakult)

▽Kosuke Fukudome (Chunichi → Cubs → Indians → White Sox → Hanshin Tigers → Chunichi)

Daisuke Matsuzaka (Seibu → Red Sox → Mets → Softbank → Chunichi → Seibu)